"Well, I don't go as far as that. A man has a right to his clothes, and maybe to a horse or a cow, but he has no right to all the land in creation. The law gives a right to a cow as ag'in' execution." "Und doesn't der law gif a right to der landt, too? You most not depend on der law, if you might succeed." "We like to get as much law as we can on our side. Americans like law: now, you'll read in all the books--_our_ books, I mean, them that's printed here--that the Americans be the most lawful people on airth, and that they'll do more for the law than any other folks known!" "Vell, dat isn't vhat dey says of der Americans in Europe; nein, nein, dey might not say dat." "Why, don't you think it is so? Don't you think this the greatest country on airth, and the most lawful?" "Vell, I don'ts know. Das coontry ist das coontry, and it ist vhat it ist, you might see." "Yes; I thought you would be of my way of thinking, when we got to understand each other." Nothing is easier than to mislead an American on the estimate foreigners place on them: in this respect they are the most deluded people living, though, in other matters, certainly among the shrewdest. "That's the way with acquaintances, at first; they don't always understand one another: and then you talk a little thick, like. But now, friend, I'll come to the p'int--but first swear you'll not betray me." "Ja, ja--I oonderstandst; I most schwear I won't bedray you: das ist goot." "But, hold up your hand. Stop; of what religion be you?" "Gristian, to be sure. I might not be a Chew. Nein, nein; I am a ferry bat Gristian." "We are all bad enough, for that matter; but I lay no stress on _that_. A little of the devil in a man helps him along, in this business of ourn. But you must be suthin' more than a Christian, I s'pose, as we don't call _that_ bein' of any religion at all, in this country. Of what _supportin'_ religion be you?" "Soobortin'; vell, I might not oonderstands dat. Vhat ist soobortin' religion? Coomes dat vrom Melanchton and Luther?--or coomes it vrom der Pope? Vhat ist dat soobortin' religion?" "Why, what religion do you _patronize_? Do you patronize the standin' order, or the kneelin' order?--or do you patronize neither? Some folks thinks its best to lie down at prayer, as the least likely to divert the thoughts." "I might not oonderstand. But nefer mindt der religion, and coome to der p'int dat you mentioned." "Well, that p'int is this. You're a Jarman, and can't like aristocrats, and so I'll trust you; though, if you do betray me, you'll never play on another bit of music in this country, or any other! If you want to be an Injin, as good an opportunity will offer to-morrow as ever fell in a man's way!" "An Injin! Vhat goot vill it do to be an Injin? I dought it might be better to be a vhite man, in America?"