picked up a piece of wood, and showed how keen the
blade was, the man watching him curiously the while; and then Pen closed
it and placed it in the man's hand.

The Spaniard looked at him curiously for a moment, as if not quite
grasping his meaning.

"_Por usted_," said Pen; and the man nodded and smiled, but shook his
head and gave him the knife back.

"Hooroar! He won't have it," cried Punch.

Pen pressed it upon the man again, and Punch groaned; but the man
rejected it, once more thrusting the knife back with both hands, and
then laughingly pointed down to Pen's boots.

"What does he mean by that, Punch?" cried Pen.

"Haw, haw, haw, haw!" laughed the boy. "He wants you to give him your
boots."

"Nonsense!"

"Here, give us hold of my knife. Hooroar! Sharper, I have got you
again! But he sha'n't have your boots; he shall have mine, and
welcome.--Look here, my cock Spaniel," continued the boy excitedly, as
he pocketed his knife, and dropping himself on the ground he began to
unfasten his boots. But the man shook his head and signed to him that
they would not do, pointing again and again to Pen's. "No, no; you
can't have them. These are better. You can have them and welcome."

But there was a difference of opinion, the Spaniard persisting in his
demand for the pair that had taken his fancy.

"Here, I didn't think he was such a fool," cried Punch. "These are the
best;" and the boy thrust off his boots and held them out to the man,
who still shook his head violently.

"No, no, Punch," said Pen, who had quickly followed his companion's
example; and he drew off his own boots and held them to the man, who
seized them joyfully, showing them with a look of triumph to his fellow.
"There, put yours on again, Punch."

"Not me," said the boy. "Think I'm going to tramp in boots and let you
tramp over the rocks barefoot? Blest if I do; so there! Here, you put
them on."

"Not I," said Pen. "I don't believe they would fit me."

"Yes, they would. I do know that. You are years older than I am, but
my feet's quite as big as yours; so now then. I tried yours when you
was asleep one night, and they fitted me exactly, so of course these
'ere will fit you. Here, catch hold."

Pen turned away so decisively that the boy stood scowling; but a thought
struck him, and with a look of triumph he turned to the younger of the
two goat-herds.

"Here you are, cocky," he cried; and to the man's keen delight Punch
t