The Devil And Tom Walker

I do not have the same page numbering in the text you are questioning here, but the quote below shows that Tom Walker, like so many of those with European background considered the Native Americans to be trespassers on their own land.

"Your grounds?" said Tom, with a sneer; "no more your grounds than mine: they belong to Deacon Peabody."

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But what right have you," said Tom, "to cut down Deacon Peabody's timber?"

"The right of prior claim," said the other. "This woodland belonged to me long before one of your white faced race put foot upon the soil."