ies were not long-lived. The company, so to speak, found
themselves, and the innate good sense they claimed to have came to their
aid, before the whole school was set generally by the ears, or the
Over-Lord was called upon to interfere.

Thus, where a fellow's own was concerned the cry with the really honest
was, "Hands off, there!"--blood being rightly spilt, if necessary, in
defence thereof, as it always will be, till the last of dogs and men lie
down and die. Of course if one or other left his own unguarded, or,
overcome by plethora, fell asleep, or grew fat and careless, then another
of his standing came and took that property away. In such an event, he
who had lost could do no more than whimper cur-like, while those lying
round the yard would look up to see what the shindy was about, and then
quietly remark, "_That's_ as it should be."

Then again, when, on a sultry afternoon in this first summer of Murphy's
life, some older members of the family betook themselves to such cool
places on the eyot as the shadows cast by the wide eaves of the mill, it
was ordered they were to be left in peace and not plagued by younger
folk, however good-natured they might be. Nor were others to be followed
when they stole away to the opening of the mill-race--where the water
came out at speed, brown and foaming, from the dark shadows under the
floors--to listen, maybe, half asleep, to the great wheel groaning its
solemn music, as the dripping green paddles threw off a cool mist to
refresh the jaded air.

However strange such a choice might seem to those of restless spirit, it
was not more so than that of others who, careless of themselves,
preferred a hole in the dust of the upper yard among the Buff Orpingtons,
and the grilling heat of the midsummer sun. There must be differences of
taste here as elsewhere. The spot chosen must be respected, not only
because it was the home for the time, however short, but also because
here was privacy, and it was not right that such should be at any time
invaded, if rightly and obviously sought--at least, so was it judged by
those who inhabited the island at this period.

That Murphy noticed all these things goes without saying. He kept them
mostly to himself, after the manner of his kind; but he watched
nevertheless closely, his black eyebrows moving continually just above
his eyes, as he lay in the rough grass in the shade of the pollard
willows, or beneath the whispering aspens.

At this ti