d the kind of
game he had caught."

Then the door opened cautiously, and the straw-like head peeped
fearfully around the corner. He had learned this lesson by my almost
breaking his head one day when he happened to enter at a moment when my
rage knew no bounds, as I thought of my wrongs, and imagined all kinds
of fates for Hazel.

"Come in, and fear not, thou fool!" I said, for I liked not to behold
such cowardice.

"Ha! thou hadst best keep quiet now; for here's one can master thee,
big and all as thou art." And he shook his ring of enormous keys in
mockery at me; however, from a safe distance.

I heard a rattle of armour, and, to my great surprise and delight, in
walked Michael. I sprang to my feet and started to rush toward him;
but he put his finger to his lip in warning.

The keeper who was busy with the locking of the door, turned in haste
as he heard me start to my feet. Then, seeing me halt suddenly, he
burst into a loud laugh.

"Ha, ha, ha!" bubbled from his frog-like throat. "Methinks that thou
hast done well to stop and consider ere thou dost spring against a wall
of stone. Well, upon my soul, sir, this is now my turn to laugh! Ha,
ha, ha! Why dost thou stop? Why dost thou not break his head, as thou
didst mine? Ha, ha, ha! Well, upon my--"

The place of the missing word was taken up in a gurgle, different
however from his disgusting, coarse laugh. Michael had changed from
his statue-like stolidity and, in the twinkling of an eye, the
astounded keeper was dangling in the air, held at arm's length by the
mighty Irishman, to whom it was no more exertion than it is to a female
servant to shake, and then hurl from the door, a mischief-making cat.

"Kape still, ye varmint," growled Michael, as the struggling keeper
kicked in every direction, some of his blows striking Michael on the
legs.

Out flew the dagger from the keeper's belt, and with it he struck
wildly at my squire's arm.

"Ha! thou scratchin' divil; why dost thou not be quoite? 'Twill do
thee no good to stroike: mine arm is armoured. Uh! thou baste," he
growled, as the dagger struck his bare hand. "Oi must thin finish
thee." And releasing the hand that he had held at the back of the
swine-like neck, and still holding the struggling keeper from the floor
with the other, he struck him a blow upon the head with his clenched
fist. There was a sound like that made by an egg when it is let fall
upon a stone. A trembling from hea