ut
I'd ha' laid my own brother open at that pinch. Now we'll twitch her
down the hill a piece--she lies just about right--and get her home by
the low road. My team'll do it, Bunny; you bring the tug along. Mind
out!'

He spoke to the horses, who tightened the chains. The great log half
rolled over, and slowly drew itself out of sight downhill, followed by
the wood gang and the timber-tug. In half a minute there was nothing to
see but the deserted hollow of the torn-up dirt, the birch undergrowth
still shaking, and the water draining back into the hoof-prints.

'Ye heard him?' Simon Cheyneys asked. 'He cherished his horse, but he'd
ha' laid him open in that pinch.'

'Not for his own advantage,' said Puck quickly. ''Twas only to shift the
log.'

'I reckon every man born of woman has his log to shift in the world--if
so be you're hintin' at any o' Frankie's doings. _He_ never hit beyond
reason or without reason,' said Simon.

'_I_ never said a word against Frankie,' Puck retorted, with a wink at
the children. 'An' if I did, do it lie in your mouth to contest my
say-so, seeing how you----'

'Why don't it lie in my mouth, seeing I was the first which knowed
Frankie for all he was?' The burly sack-clad man puffed down at cool
little Puck.

'Yes, and the first which set out to poison him--Frankie--on the high
seas----'

Simon's angry face changed to a sheepish grin. He waggled his immense
hands, but Puck stood off and laughed mercilessly.

'But let me tell you, Mus' Robin,' he pleaded.

'I've heard the tale. Tell the children here. Look, Dan! Look,
Una!'--Puck's straight brown finger levelled like an arrow. 'There's the
only man that ever tried to poison Sir Francis Drake!'

'Oh, Mus' Robin! Tidn't fair. You've the 'vantage of us all in your
upbringin's by hundreds o' years. 'Stands to nature you know all the
tales against every one.'

He turned his soft eyes so helplessly on Una that she cried, 'Stop
ragging him, Puck! You know he didn't really.'

'I do. But why are you so sure, little maid?'

'Because--because he doesn't look like it,' said Una stoutly.

'I thank you,' said Simon to Una. 'I--I was always trustable like with
children if you let me alone, you double handful o' mischief!' He
pretended to heave up his axe on Puck; and then his shyness overtook him
afresh.

'Where did you know Sir Francis Drake?' said Dan, not relishing being
called a child.

'At Rye Port, to be sure,' said Simon, and seei