ent thing."

"Oh! rats, don't give me any of that sort of taffy, Fenton!" exclaimed
the other in a disgusted voice. "And I'll see to it that they don't
believe I'm working the reformed son racket, either. I did
this--well--just because I had to, that's all, and not because I wanted
to. If Billy hadn't been along, and told what he did, you'd 'a spent
your night in that hole, for all of me; understand?"

"Well, just as you will, Buck. Have it as you want. Billy, I'm obliged
to you for standing up for me like you did. It was a lucky day for me,
as well as for you, when I chanced to get you out of the Mohunk."

"Oh! come along, Billy," Buck called out, pulling at the sleeve of his
younger brother; "we've got no more time to waste here, jawing. Right
now I'm some twisted in my bearings, and we might have a tough time
gettin' to that farmhouse."

Fred took it for granted that Buck was heading in a roundabout way for
the home of Arnold Masterson; the same place where he and Bristles had
saved Sarah, the sick farmer's daughter, from the well, into which she
had fallen when trying to hide from the three rough tramps.

He was on the point of directing Buck, so that the other might reach his
destination, when something within seemed to bid him hold his tongue.
Arnold Masterson was not friendly with his rich uncle, Squire Lemington.
He had been worsted by the latter in some land deal, and would not even
come to Riverport to trade. Perhaps Buck knew something about this, and
it may have influenced him when running away from home, with Billy in
his company.

He saw the two go off, Buck talking in low tones to his brother. Once
Billy insisted on turning, and waving his hand toward Fred; though Buck
immediately gave him a rough whirl, as though to make him understand
that he would not allow of any more friendly feelings between his
younger brother and the fellow he chose to look upon as his worst enemy.

"Well, it's too bad Buck feels that way," Fred said to himself, as he
turned his back on the hole that had given him such an unpleasant half
hour. "But just as he says, the score is even now, and the slate cleaned
off. We can start fresh; and chances are, he'll find a way of trying to
get a dig at me before many suns. But I'm lucky to get out of that
scrape as I did. Whew! what if I just had to stay there? Makes me shiver
to think of it."

He started on a run, to get up a circulation; for, despite all his labor
while in the pi