'em he said if I didn't he'd say it was me;
and that's the whole truth, and nothing else."

"Lindon, what have you to say to this?" cried Uncle Josiah.

Don thought of the guinea he had picked up, of his uncle's curious look
when he gave it to him, and as he turned red and white with terror and
dismay, mingled with confusion, he tried to speak, but try how he would,
no words would come.

CHAPTER FOUR.

MIKE BANNOCK HAS A RIDE.

"You wretch!"

Those two words were a long time coming, but when they did escape from
Lindon's lips, they made up in emphasis and force for their brevity.

"Steady, Master Don, steady," said Jem, throwing his arms round the
boy's waist, and holding him back. "You arn't strong enough to fight
him."

"Wretch? Oh! Well, I like that. Why, some men would ha' gone straight
to your uncle here, and told him all about it; but I didn't, and I'd
made up my mind to send him the money back, only I met two or three
mates, and I had to change one of 'em to give the poor lads a drink o'
ale."

"You own, then, that you had my money, sir?" cried the old merchant.

"Well--some on it, master. He give it me. S'pose I oughtn't to have
took it, but I didn't like to come and tell you, and get the poor lad
into trouble. He's so young, you see."

"Uncle, it is not true!" cried Lindon, excitedly.

"But you had one of the guineas in your pocket, sir."

"Yes, uncle, but--"

"Course he had," interrupted Mike sharply. "I told you it wouldn't do,
Master Don. I begged you not to."

"You villain!" cried Don, grinding his teeth, while his uncle watched
him with a sidelong look.

"Calling names won't mend it, my lad. I knowed it was wrong. I telled
him not to, sir, but he would."

This was to the constable in a confidential tone, and that functionary
responded with a solemn wink.

"It is not true, uncle!" cried Don again.

"Oh, come now," said Mike, shaking his head with half tipsy reproach, "I
wouldn't make worse on it, my lad, by telling a lot o' lies. You did
wrong, as I says to you at the time; but you was so orbst'nate you
would. Says as you'd got such lots of money, master, as you'd never
miss it."

Uncle Josiah gave vent to a sound resembling a disgusted grunt, and
turned from the speaker, who continued reproachfully to Don,--

"What you've got to do, my lad, is to go down on your bended knees to
your uncle, as is a good master as ever lived--and I will say that, come
what may--