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Updated: May 19, 2025
It was a mere accident that the partisans of Viggo Hook lived on the west side of the river, and those of Halvor Reitan mostly on the east side. Viggo, who had a chivalrous sense of fair play, would never have molested any one without good cause; but now his own safety, and, as he persuaded himself, even his life, was in danger, and he had no choice but to take measures in self-defence.
Then, he observed, he would "make him dance a jig that would take the starch out of him." The others declared that this would be capital fun, and enthusiastically promised their assistance. Each one selected his particular antipathy to thrash, though all showed a marked preference for Viggo, whom, however, for reason of politeness, they were obliged to leave to the chief.
Those whom, with magnificent arbitrariness, he punished and persecuted, felt meekly that they had probably deserved it; and if they had not, it was somehow in the game. There never was a more absolute king than Viggo, nor one more abjectly courted and admired.
To have a tussle with the high-nosed Viggo in the middle of the basin, to dislodge him from his raft that seemed to Halvor a delightful project. He knew that Viggo was a good swimmer, so he feared no dangerous consequences; and even if he had, it would not have restrained him. He was so much stronger than Viggo, and here was his much-longed-for opportunity.
By this time Viggo Hansen had warmed to his subject; his little, sharp voice pierced through the chorus of objections, and he proceeded as follows: 'And, while we are speaking of the dog, may I be allowed to present an extraordinarily profound hypothesis of my own?
But an event soon occurred which was destined to change the relations of the two boys. Halvor Reitan called a secret meeting of his partisans, among whom he made the mistake to include Marcus, and agreed with them to lie in ambush at the bend of the road, where it entered the forest, and attack Viggo Hook and his followers.
Viggo saw at a glance that he meant to pull his raft toward him, and, relying upon his greater strength, fling him into the water. His first plan would therefore be to fence with his own boat-hook, so as to keep his antagonist at a distance.
The East-Siders despatched, under a flag of truce, a most insulting caricature of General Viggo, representing him as a rooster that seemed on the point of bursting with an excess of dignity. These were the chief incidents of the winter, though there were many others of less consequence that served to keep the boys in a delightful state of excitement.
The lumbermen, whose sympathies were with the East-Siders, found this performance highly diverting, but Viggo allowed himself in nowise to be disturbed by their laughter or jeers.
He then, with a heavy heart, betook himself homeward, and installed himself once more among his accustomed smells behind the store, and pondered sadly on the caprice of the fate which had made Viggo a high-nosed, handsome gentleman, and him Marcus Henning an under-grown, homely, and unrefined drudge.
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