“What’s the fool talkin’ about? Thar’s no sech place as Oregon, greeny. That kentry thar is called Oregon, and it’s an Injun name, I reckon.”
“An Injun name! The ignorance av yez! It was named for Michael O’Regan, who first diskivered it, as ye might read in the histories, if ye could read at all. He was an Irishman, from the county Donegal, and was me grandfather’s first cousin on the mother’s side. We dhropped the O’ whin we kim across the say; but that don’t hindher me from claimin’ a shlice av the fine lands that once belonged to me grandfather’s cousin.”
“I don’t believe a word of it, Denny Regan. Of all the liars that were ever turned loose in this yere kentry, I reckon you are about the infarnalest.”
“Is it a liar ye are callin’ me, Misther Pap Byers? Ye’ve got it to take back, or feel the edge av me knife.”
“You had better shut up, both of you. Captain Benning gave orders that there should be no talkin’ around the camp to-night, and he’ll give you a proper good blowin’ up if he ketches you at it. Here he is, by thunder!”
The first speaker was Dennis Regan, a young Irishman, who, although he had turned trapper, had not discarded his brogue with his brogans, or his natural character with his corduroys. The second was John Byers, commonly called Pap Byers, a middle-aged free trapper, of long experience on the plains and in the mountains. In person he was tall, gaunt, sinewy and solemn, while the Irishman was short and stout, with fat cheeks and a merry face. The third speaker was Sam Glass, a hired trapper, in the employ of Mr. Robinette, the fur-trader to whose company all were attached.
Captain Benning, who came up just as Sam Glass mentioned his name, was a tall young man, well built and fine looking, with an appearance of activity, nerve and daring. He was one of the leaders of the party under Mr. Robinette, and was regarded as an excellent “partisan.”
“What is the meaning of this noise?” asked the captain, frowning upon the group. “Don’t you know that orders were given to keep the camp quiet to-night?”
“It was Denny Regan here,” replied Pap Byers. “The durned fool was tryin’ to make us believe that Oregon was diskivered by an Irishman, and named arter him.”
“And this ould sinner called me a liar, capt’in dear, and that’s what ye wouldn’t like to be called yersilf.”