our equal."

"I call that a very good character."

"It might be a lot worse, no doubt."

"I wanted him to come to our outing, but he won't do that, though his
mother asked him to go."

The outing, an annual whole holiday, was won for the Mill by Estelle,
and for the past four years she had taken all who cared to come for a
long day by the sea. They always went to Weymouth, where amusement
offered to suit every taste.

"More than ever are coming this year," John told her. "In fact, I
believe pretty well everybody's going but Levi Baggs."

"I'm glad. We'll have the two wagonettes from 'The Seven Stars' as
usual. If you are going into Bridport you might tell Missis Legg."

"The two big ones we shall want, and they must be here sharp at six
o'clock," declared Mr. Best. "There's nothing like getting off early.
I'll speak to Job Legg about it and tell him to start 'em off earlier.
You can trust it to Job as to the wagonettes being opened or covered.
He's a very weather-wise person and always smells rain twelve hours in
advance."

CHAPTER IV

THE RED HAND

The Mill had a fascination for all Bridetown children and they would
trespass boldly and brave all perils to get a glimpse of the machinery.
The thunder of the engines drew them, and there were all manner of
interesting fragments to be picked up round and about. That they were
not permitted within the radius of the works was also a sound reason for
being there, and many boys could tell of great adventures and
hairbreadth escapes from Mr. Best, Mr. Benny Cogle and, above all, Mr.
Baggs. For Mr. Baggs, to the mind of youth, exhibited ogre-like
qualities. They knew him as a deadly enemy, for which reason there was
no part of the works that possessed a greater or more horrid fascination
than the hackling shop. To have entered the den of Mr. Baggs marked a
Bridetown lad as worthy of highest respect in his circle. But proofs
were always demanded of such a high achievement. When Levi caught the
adventurer, as sometimes happened, proofs were invariably apparent and a
posterior evidence never lacked of a reverse for the offensive; but
youth will be served, even though age sometimes serves it rather
harshly, and the boys were untiring. Unless Levi locked the shop, when
he went home at noon to dinner, there was always the chance of a raid
with a strick or two possibly missing as proof of success.

Sabina had told Abel that he must keep away from the works, but he