tn't leave him there, brother Buck!" cried a voice at that
juncture, and Fred suddenly realized that the partner of the bully's
flight, and through whom he hoped to bring his angry father to terms,
was little Billy, his younger brother, for whom it was said Buck felt
more affection than he did for any other person on the face of the
earth.

"Well," Buck went on to say, "I'm going to do that same, no matter what
you or anybody else says; and so you'd just better be getting along out
of this, Billy. It ain't none of your business what happens to Fred
Fenton, I guess."

"But it is some of my business," insisted the smaller boy, who had by
degrees pushed his way forward, in spite of his big brother's warning,
until Fred could see his head projecting beyond the rim of the pit.

"What's Fred Fenton to you?" demanded Buck, savagely.

"He's my friend, that's what!" declared Billy stoutly.

"Oh! you want to make a friend out of the worst enemy your own brother's
got; do you?" the bully sneered. "Well, why shouldn't I leave him here
to suck his thumb all night, tell me that?"

"Because it'd be wicked," cried the excited boy. "Because if it hadn't
'a been for Fred Fenton you wouldn't be havin' no brother Billy right
now!"

"What d'ye mean, Billy?" roared the astonished bully.

"Remember when your canoe got home without you goin' for it, Buck? That
was the time. It throwed me out in the middle of the river, and I'd 'a
drownded sure, only Fred, he swum out and saved me. And that's why I say
you ain't goin' to leave him here to freeze and shiver all night. 'Cause
he's my friend, that's why!"

And Buck Lemington knelt there, for the minute unable to utter a single
word, so great was his amazement.

CHAPTER XVIII

FORCED TO LEND A HAND

"Is that right, Fenton?" the bully finally demanded, turning to look at
the dimly seen face of the boy deep down in the hole. "Did you haul my
brother out of the Mohunk waters?"

"That's just what happened, Buck," Fred replied, a warm feeling once
more taking possession of his heart; for somehow he seemed to know that
the coming of this unlooked-for ally would turn the scales in his favor;
and, after all, he would not have to spend a horrible night in that damp
hole.

"Don't seem likely you'd do such a thing, and never throw it up at me
some time, when I was naggin' you," went on the other, doubtfully.

"Oh! I felt like doing that same more'n a few times, believe me," said
Fr