ver down there?
I've been thinking there may be some one of the same name as yourself in
that water, and I've a mind to send you to visit your relations."

The merry laugh of the hunter rang shrill and clear.

"Be ye? Oh, be ye?" he cried, jumping to his feet. "If it wa'n't fer
hurtin' ye, I'd throw ye clean across to yon hillside!" and he pointed to
a spot nearly a mile away, across the river.

"It's a good thing for you there are so many leaves on the ground to
break your fall," John answered, rolling up his sleeves.

"Don't wrestle so much with your mouths," Ree admonished them.

"Why, I could handle both of ye; come on, the two of ye to onc't!" the
hunter cried.

But the next moment he found in John, alone, about as much of a task as
he cared to undertake. For two minutes they heaved and tugged, John's
wiry frame seeming to be all around the woodsman, who was by no means
clumsy, though he could not put him down. Then they broke apart and for a
minute made feints at one another, each hoping to secure an advantage.

At last the hunter's arms shot out, his hands seized John's arms so
quickly, and he lifted the boy off his feet and keeled him over with such
dexterity, that the lad lay sprawling on his back almost before he knew
what was happening.

The glee of Tom Fish was quite ridiculous. He danced about and almost
screamed with laughter.

"It is your turn, Ree," said John good-naturedly.

"Whenever our friend is ready," Ree responded.

"Come on! Come on!" Tom cried. "Oh, what frisky kittens ye be!"

Peter Piper, the half-breed, had taught Return Kingdom a trick or two at
wrestling. And now he allowed the hunter to lift him off the ground, then
he let his muscles relax, his dead weight falling in his opponent's arms.
Suddenly getting his feet to the ground in this way, he sprang against
the hunter's muscular frame with such rapidity of thought and motion that
he was able by a tremendous lightning-like effort to jerk one of the
man's legs from under him, sending him down, while he, himself, came
uppermost.

"Ye're pretty fair," Tom Fish muttered; but it was plain to be seen that
something he very little expected had happened to him.

CHAPTER VIII.

Friends or Foes?

Tom Fish had a profound respect for Return Kingdom from the moment the
latter threw him; but he was no less pleasant and agreeable than before,
and he proved himself a valuable friend then and in days long afterward.

When night