human
So far, everything has gone very much as one could expect, he said.
gpt
The trouble will naturally come in the spring when Esmond can bring more troopers in. That is, of course, unless we can make terms before then, which is, I fancy, quite probable.
human
And if we can't? asked the American who had attended to Tomlinson.
gpt
That police captain shows very little sign of backing down.
human
Then we'll have to bring over the men from Westerhouse, said Ingleby.
gpt
I think they'll come, and, because it will not be difficult to block out Slavin, who is in command of the police there, if he comes along after them, the position will be much the same as before.
human
What's going to stop the other people from sending a whole regiment along?
gpt
The British official character, said Sewell drily.
human
It wouldn't look well, you see, and it would hurt somebody's dignity to admit that it was necessary,--that is, of course, so long as we play our cards cleverly. This trouble would be regarded from the official point of view as merely a little temporary friction which could be got over if handled tactfully. Indeed, I shouldn't wonder if Esmond is quietly reprimanded for causing it; but one has to remember that if you persist in making our rulers see what they don't wish to, they're apt to display an activity that's likely to prove as unpleasant to men in our position as it is unusual. They don't want to move if they can help it, but somebody has to smart for it if they're forced to.
gpt
That's quite right, said another man.
human
I remember Riel, and they'd have let him down again if he'd known enough not to aggravate them by killing that man at Fort Garry. Well, I guess we've no use for that while Esmond keeps his head, and the one question is what we're going to eat. It's quite certain I can't live on cedar bark. We want grub, and we've got to get it. There are men right here who could break a trail to anywhere.
gpt
If we try the usual one we'll only clear it for Esmond to bring troopers in,
human
I've been well up the south fork of the river looking for deer, he said.
gpt
The valley's level, and I didn't strike a rapid, while with the snow on the river one could keep clear of the timber. The slight thaw we had should make a good crust for travelling, and it wouldn't be much trouble to make a few jumper-sleds for the provisions. The difficulty is that whoever went would have to cross the divide from headwater and pick up the usual trail on the other side.
human
Nobody has ever been over, said another man.
gpt
I've no use for crawling up precipices with a big flour-bag on my back.
human
That might be because nobody has ever tried, said Sewell.
gpt
One advantage in going that way is that Esmond wouldn't know you had either gone out or come back again. We don't want to make a road for him. Then he turned to the American.
human
How's Tomlinson to-night?
gpt
Going very slow. The frost's against him. Wound won't heal, and half-rotten pork and bread isn't quite the thing to feed a sick man. He should have been on his feet quite a while ago.