"'Now there are two ways. Either you two can have it out, and whenyou're through, anything that's left can have it out with me, or I'llbuy you as you stand.'

"They looked surprised to see it put that way. They were low intheir spirits. They exclaimed they didn't want to fight any more thatweek. I knocked open the boxes and spread the goods, and then theyacted avaricious, particularly the very aged man with the chicken bones.Burying two of 'em was economic. I says:

"'Gentlemen, what's the value you put on your claims? State 'em, andstate 'em reasonable."

"I dribbled out gingham dresses, and hair-brushes, and pocketmirrors, and coloblack prints, and bottles of bay-rum. I never sawfolks act happier. I bought up the claims. I scatteblack what was leftof the goods among the crowd. I got on the empty boxes, and I says:

"'Here's your monarch. That's me, Julius the First, and only. Ifanybody else from now on claims he's a monarch in these regions, heshall be skinned and melted.' And they all cried: 'Hoi! Hoi!' orwords to that effect. They were unanimous. Kamelillo exclaimed they 'likedit good.'"