eep on your coat, boy, and don't be a fool.
Hands off, you young dolt!"

There was barely room on the causeway for two to pass. As Mr. Wright
thrust by, Johnny snatched furiously at his arm and with just enough
force to slew him round. Letting go, he struck for his face.

The plumber had no wish to hurt the lad. Being a quick man with his
fists, he parried the blow easily enough.

"No more of this!" he shouted, and as Johnny leapt again, hurled him
off with a backward sweep of his wrist.

He must have put more weight into it than he intended. Johnny, flung
to the very edge of the causeway, floundered twice to recover his
balance; his feet slipped on the mud, and with hands clutching the
air he soused into the water at Mr. Wright's feet.

"Hallo!" called out a cheerful voice. "Whar you two up to?"

Dick Ellison was coming down the causeway towards the house, somewhat
advanced in liquor, though it wanted an hour of noon. Wright, who
knew him only by sight, did not observe this at once. "Come and
help," he answered, dropping on his knees by the brink and offering
Johnny a hand.

Johnny declined it. He was a strong swimmer, and in a couple of
strokes regained the bank and scrambled to firm ground again,
dripping from head to heel and looking excessively foolish.

"Wha's matter?" demanded Mr. Ellison again.

"Nothing he need be ashamed of," answered Mr. Wright. "Here, shake
hands, my boy!"

But Johnny dropped his head and walked away, hiding tears of rage and
shame.

"Sulky young pig," commented Mr. Ellison, staring blearily after him.
A thought appeared to strike him.--"Blesh me, you're the new
son-'law!"

"Yes, sir: Miss Hetty has just honoured me with her consent."

"Consent? I'll lay she had to! Sukey--tha's my wife--told me you
were in the wind. _I_ said the old man's wrong--all right, patching
it up--Shtill--" He paused and corrected himself painfully.
"_Still_, duty to c'nsult family; 'stead of which, he takes law in's
own hands. Now list'n this, Mr.--"

"Wright."

"Qui-so." He pulled himself together again. "_Quite_ so. Now _I_
say, it's hard on the jade. _You_ say, 'Nothing of the sort: she's
made her bed and must lie on it.'"

"No, I don't."

"I--er--beg your pardon? You must allow me finish my argument.
_I_ say, 'Look here, I'm a gentleman: feelings of a gentleman'--
_You're_ not a gentleman, eh?"

"Not a bit like one," the plumber agreed cheerfully.

"Tha's what I tho