increase the interest of his story.

"Well, what was it?"

"D'you remember, sir, about two years agone you and Master Valentine
and the young ladies went up the river to a place called Starncliff?
Well, Hanks said he saw you there, and that you set some one's rick
afire. He wasn't sure which of you done it, but he had a word with
Master Fosberton as you was comin' 'ome, and he told him it was you two
had been smokin', but that you were his cousins, and he didn't want to
get you into a row; so he said he'd give Hanks five shillings to hold
his tongue, and promised he'd speak to you, and between you you'd make
it up to something more, and that's why Hanks was always botherin' of
you for money."

Jack's wrath, which had been quickly rising to boiling point during the
recital of this narrative, now fairly bubbled over.

"What a lie!" he exclaimed. "What a mean cad the fellow is! Why, he
set the rick on fire himself!"

"I just thought as much," said Joe.

"Yes, and that's not all. He knew we got into a row at school through
the man talking to us; and then last summer, when the man was drunk,
and met us in the road, he pretended he couldn't tell how it was the
fellow knew our names!"

"Well, 'ere he is," interrupted Joe Crouch; "and if I was you, I'd just
give him a bit of my mind!"

Raymond came sauntering across the lawn.

"I say," he exclaimed, "what a place this is! Fancy not being allowed
to let off a gun. It's just what you might have expected from an old
maid like Aunt Mabel, but I should have thought Valentine would have
had more pluck. A fine sort of soldier he'll make--the milksop!"

Raymond Fosberton had for some time been running up an account in his
cousin's bad books. This speech was the final entry, and caused Jack
to demand an immediate settlement.

"Look here," he began, trembling with indignation, "don't you speak
like that to me about Aunt Mab or Valentine, He's got a jolly sight
more pluck than you have, you coward! If you want to begin calling
names, I'll tell you yours--you're a liar and a sneak!"

"What d'you mean?"

"I mean what I say. I know all your little game, and it's no good your
trying to keep it dark any longer. You told Hanks that Val and I had
set that rick on fire, and so got us into a row through the man's
speaking to us at Melchester. And last year, when we met him, you made
out you didn't know why he should be always pestering us for money."

Raymond's face