an intimate of yours, Ralph Nelson!"

"All right; just as you please."

"If you had treated me like a gentleman on the bridge you wouldn't be out
of a job now," went on the fashionable bully.

"We won't talk about that," returned Ralph, sharply.

And then, to see how late it was, he drew out his new watch and consulted
it.

"Where did you get that watch?" questioned Percy, on catching sight of the
golden time-piece.

"It was made a present to me," replied Ralph, and he smiled at the young
aristocrat's evident wonder.

"A present to you?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"A couple of days ago."

"For your faithful work on the bridge, I suppose," sneered the rich youth.

"Partly for that, and partly for something else."

"Who gave it to you?"

"A rich lady and her daughter."

"You are talking in riddles, Ralph Nelson," cried Percy, more than half
angry at Ralph's short replies.

"Well, then, since you are so curious, let me tell you that the watch,
chain, and charm were presented to me by Miss Julia Carrington and her
mother. Now are you satisfied?"

The shot told. Percy colored to the roots of his reddish hair, and drew
down the corners of his mouth.

"Do you mean to tell me that Julia Carrington really gave you that as a
present?" he ejaculated.

"Yes."

"Because you stopped their team for them?"

"Yes. They were very thankful to me for what they called my bravery."

"Humph! Anybody could have done as much. That team wasn't much to stop."

"It's a pity you didn't stop them then. You were in the carriage, I
understand."

"I was thrown out, or there wouldn't have been any trouble," growled Percy.

"They said you sprang out as soon as you imagined there was danger."

"It isn't so. I'll bet you asked them for the watch--or for some reward,"
went on the young aristocrat, maliciously.

"Not by a good deal; it is not my style, Percy Paget."

"Humph! A low upstart like you----"

"Stop right there!" cried Ralph.

"I won't! You are----"

"If you don't stop I'll pitch you into the lake!"

"You can't do it, Ralph Nelson. You are nothing but a miserable beggar, not
fit for decent folks to associate with. If I had my say----"

Percy got no further. With doubled-up fists Ralph advanced upon him. The
rich young bully saw his danger, and, in sudden alarm for his personal
safety, began to retreat.

He did not notice where he was going, and his heel struck upon a board
which stuck up above the rest of the fl