."

"Anybody's got a right to fish."

"Yes, in the sea, but not on private grounds; so now be off at once."

"And suppose I say I won't," said the man, menacingly.

"But you won't now you're told. Be off, please, at once; we can't have
you doing that."

"Why, you're never going to interfere with a stranger who's trying to
ketch a few podnoddles," said the man, grinning.

"No, but I will with a stranger who has come spying and measuring that
mine; so be off at once, and no more nonsense."

"Let's fetch the Colonel," whispered Joe.

"Yah! go and fetch your grandmother," snarled the man. "Look here, both
of you, I didn't interfere with you; don't you come interfering with me,
my lads, because I'm one of the sort who turns ugly when he's meddled
with."

Gwyn hesitated for a few moments, and then stepped close up, clapped his
hand on the man's shoulder, and pointed toward the wall.

"Come!" he cried; "that's the way, and don't you come here again."

The man turned upon him with a wild-beast-like snarl.

"Do you want me to pitch you down that hole?" he cried.

"No, and you daren't do it," cried Gwyn, whose temper rose at this.
"Now, then, will you go?"

For answer the man swung round fiercely, bringing his right arm across
Gwyn's chest and sending him staggering back for a yard or two.

"Come on, Gwyn, let's fetch the Colonel."

Gwyn's blood was up. He felt not the slightest inclination to run for
help, but, big as the man was, he sprang forward with such energy that,
in his surprise, the fellow gave way for the moment, and Gwyn seized the
opportunity to make a snatch at the great reel he held, wrenched it from
his hand, and threw it to Joe, who caught it as cleverly as if it had
been a cricket ball.

"Run round the other side, Joe, and drag it out. Run off with it.
Never mind me."

Joe obeyed on the instant, and, making for the other side, he dashed off
up the side of the gully, dragging the line after him, and was some
yards away before the man recovered from his surprise.

"Oh, that's your game, is it?" he cried savagely. "I'll 'tend to you
directly, my lad," and he made to pass Gwyn, who tried to stop him, but
received a thrust which sent him backward on the heath, while the man
started to follow Joe.

But Gwyn's life on the rocky coast had made him as active as a cat, and
as the fellow was passing he thrust out one leg, tripped him, and his
adversary went down with a crash, while, before he