land for them! No, no, sir; whatever shall happen
there, will be God's own justice."

"Of His justice who shall judge?" said Insie's father, quietly. "But is
there not a young man grown, who passes for the heir with every one?"

"Ay, that there is; and the best game of all will be neck and crop
for that young scamp. A bully, a coward, a puling milksop, is all the
character he beareth. He giveth himself born airs, as if every inch
of the Riding belonged to him. He hath all the viciousness of Yordas,
without the pluck to face it out. A little beast that hath the venom,
without the courage, of a toad. Ah, how I should like to see--"

Jack of the Smithies not only saw, but felt. The Yordas blood was up in
Pet. He leaped through the hedge and struck this man with a sharp quick
fist in either eye. Smithies fell backward behind the bench, his heels
danced in the air, and the stump of his arm got wedged in the stubs of a
bush, while Lancelot glared at him with mad eyes.

"What next?" said his companion, rising calmly, and steadfastly gazing
at Lancelot.

"The next thing is to kill him; and it shall be done," the furious youth
replied, while he swung the gentleman's big stick, which he had seized,
and danced round his foe with the speed of a wild-cat. "Don't meddle, or
it will be worse for you. You heard what he said of me. Get out of the
way."

"Indeed, my young friend, I shall do nothing of the sort." But the old
man was not at all sure that he could do much; such was the fury and
agility of the youth, who jumped three yards for every step of his,
while the poor old soldier could not move. The boy skipped round the
protecting figure, whose grasp he eluded easily, and swinging the staff
with both arms, aimed a great blow at the head of his enemy. Suddenly
the other interposed the bench, upon which the stick fell, and broke
short; and before the assailant could recover from the jerk, he was a
prisoner in two powerful old arms.

"You are so wild that we must make you fast," his captor said, with
a benignant smile; and struggle as he might, the boy was very soon
secured. His antagonist drew forth a red bandana handkerchief, and
fastened his bleeding hands behind his back. "There, now, lad," he said,
"you can do no mischief. Recover your temper, sir, and tell us who you
are, as soon as you are sane enough to know."

Pet, having spent his just indignation, began to perceive that he
had made a bad investment. His desire had