midday
A venison and chicken supper was promised -- and a dance if any women appeared . Jake Kloon had run in some Canadian hooch ; Darragh , alias Hal Smith , contributed two fat deer and Clinch cooked them . By ten o'clock that morning many of the men were growing noisy ; some were already drunk by noon . Shortly after midday dinner the first fight started -- extinguished only after Clinch had beaten several of the backwoods aristocracy insensible . Towering amid the wreck of battle , his light grey eyes a-glitter , Clinch dominated , swinging his iron fists . When the combat ended and the fallen lay starkly where they fell , Clinch said in his pleasant , level voice : `` Take them out and stick their heads in the pond . And do n't go for to get me mad , boys , or I 'm liable to act up rough . ''