along and see that you have fair play."

"All right, I'll show you how I'll fix him," I answered.

About fifteen or twenty minutes later Henry and one of his chums came
from school to our barn-yard well for a pail of water.

I came to the barn door just in time to see them coming through the
gate. Mr. Keefer's consent that I should "do him up" gave me courage to
begin at once. I went to the pump, and throwing my cap on the ground,
said:

"See here, my father tells me to trim every mother's son of you that
twits me of being lazy and red-headed. Now, I'm going to finish you
first."

He was as much scared as he was surprised.

I buckled into him, and kick, bite, scratch, gouge, pull hair, twist
noses, and strike from the shoulder were the order of the day. I felt
all-confident and sailed in for all I was worth, and finished him in
less than three minutes, to the evident satisfaction of Mr. Keefer,
whom, when the fight was waxing hot, I espied standing on the dunghill
with a broad smile taking in the combat. I had nearly stripped my
opponent of his clothing, held a large wad of hair in each hand, his
nose flattened all over his face, two teeth knocked down his throat, his
shins skinned and bleeding, and both eyes closed. After getting himself
together he started down our lane, appearing dazed and bewildered. I
first thought he was going to a stone pile near by, but as he passed it
I began to realize his real condition, when I hurried to his rescue and
led him back to the water trough, and there helped to soak him out and
renovate him. After which his comrade returned to school alone with the
water, and he proceeded homeward.

After that I had no serious trouble with those near my own age, as it
was generally understood and considered that I had a license to fight
and a disposition to do so when necessary to protect my own rights.

When my mother heard of this she said I was a regular "tough."

Mr. Keefer said I could whip my weight in wild cats anyhow.

She said I deserved a good trouncing.

He said I deserved a medal and ought to have it.

My mother never seemed to understand me or my nature until the timely
arrival of an agent selling patent hay-forks, who professed to have a
knowledge of Phrenology, Physiognomy, and human nature in general. In
course of a conversation relative to family affairs, my mother remarked
that, with but one exception, she had no trouble in managing and
controling her children. He