gher and higher in their strain of victory. The missel-thrush had seen
the woodpecker, who informed him that Kapchack had just passed, and like
the wind he rushed back to the orchard. But all the speed of his wings
was in vain, he could not quite overtake the monarch; he shouted, he
shrieked, but the song of triumph drowned his cries. Kapchack was close
to the wall of the orchard.

At the same time Bevis, not caring much about the locket or the letter,
or the old gentleman (whose history he had not yet heard), while his
papa spoke to, and aroused the old gentleman from his swoon, had slipped
back towards the orchard-gate where was an irresistible attraction. This
was the sportsman's double-barrelled gun, leant there against a tree. He
could scarce keep his hands off it; he walked round it; touched it;
looked about to see if any one was watching, and was just on the point
of taking hold of it, when the old gentleman rushed past, but seeing the
gun, stopped and seized it. Finding, however, that it was not loaded, he
threw it aside, and went on towards the house. In a minute he returned
with the long single-barrelled gun, with which, so many years before, he
had vowed to shoot his rival.

He had heard the magpie returning, and mad with anger--since it was the
magpie's theft which had thus destroyed the happiness of his life, for
all might have been well had he had the letter--he hastened for his
gun. As he came to the orchard-gate, Kapchack, with his followers behind
him, neared the wall. The avenger looked along his gun, pulled the
trigger, and the report echoed from the empty, hollow house. His aim was
uncertain in the agony of his mind, and even then Kapchack almost
escaped, but one single pellet, glancing from the bough of an
apple-tree, struck his head, and he fell with darkness in his eyes.

The old gentleman rushed to the spot, he beat the senseless body with
the butt of his gun till the stock snapped; then he jumped on it, and
stamped the dead bird into a shapeless remnant upon the ground. At this
spectacle Bevis, who, although he was always talking of shooting and
killing, could not bear to see anything really hurt, burst out into a
passion of tears, lamenting the magpie, and gathering up some of the
feathers. Nor could they pacify him till they found him a ripe and
golden King Pippin apple to eat.

CHAPTER XV.

PALACE SECRETS.

Next day Sir Bevis, so soon as ever he could get away after dinner, and