“Every thing that is bad; nothing that is good. I will make him wish that he had never been born. He sold a horse to one of my council for a very high price, bought it back for five guilders, and sold it to another man for a hundred and fifty.” “And you intend to flog him?” “Surely.” “I can’t do better than to warn him to keep out of your way when I see him again. Boston _is_ a cheat in _one_ way. But to business. You have run out of your course to talk of him. What are the men of Good Hope doing here?” “You are on our land. We claim it as the right of our country, in the name of Hendrick Hudson, the man whom your country would not honor, and who came to us for his due. You must break up this trading-house, and take yourself again to your sloop, get out of the country, and keep out of it.” “You are modest in your demands, sir. I will say that for you. What if I refuse?” “You see these men?” “Yes.” “They have arms in their hands.” “I see the arms. They are very rusty. You don’t use them much, I guess.” “If you refuse we shall take the place.” “Perhaps you mean you will _try_ to take it.” “We will _take_ it,” said Van Zandt, speaking for the first time. “If you can,” replied Barlow, returning the Dutchman’s look of hate and defiance. “Be quiet, Willie,” said the captain. “It can do no good. Now, sir, to your demand. I hold this post in the name and by the authority of my monarch, king of England. I care nothing for other powers. My force is not large; but, while I or any of my officers or men can lift an arm in its defense, no Dutchman shall enter the block-house, except as a friend. If he comes as an enemy we will give him English steel.” “You speak plainly.” “I speak as I feel. Twice to-day murder has been attempted by one of your men. We know him. His name is Carl Anselm, and he is a servant of Captain Van Zandt.” “Murder!” “Nothing else. This morning he fired from a bush and missed my lieutenant here, or rather wounded him in the arm, though his intent was to kill.” “The other?” “That occurred to-night. The captain and his servant came down together to reconnoiter. While the captain was on one side of the building, his servant snapped a pistol at one of my officers through a chink in the logs. Then they climbed over the wall at the corner.” “The devil!” cried Joseph. “You see we were not altogether uninformed in regard to your movements, sir. You climbed over the wall and listened at the chink in the cabin. We whispered, and you could not hear what we said.” “_Are_ there devils upon earth?” muttered Joseph, in utter astonishment. “Your man still wanted to fire, and you restrained him. You climbed the wall first, and as your back was turned, Carl fired the pistol, and missed. Is the account correct?” “Perfectly. And now tell me, if you will do so, how you know all this?”