, and then
halted as the advance guard trotted on for a hundred yards or so.

As the party came up, Samson exchanged looks with his brother, whose
lips moved as if he were saying--

"Only just you wait, my fine fellow, and I'll serve you out for this."

But Samson laughed and rode to his old place in the rear beside his
captain.

As Samson went by Fred, the latter caught sight of something scarlet,
and the colour suggesting his prisoner, he turned sharply upon his
follower.

"What's that?" he said.

"Only the young captain's hat, sir."

Fred frowned as he saw that Samson had fastened the grey felt hat with
its gay feathers to his saddle, and then glanced forward at Scarlett,
whose cropped head was sheltered by the heavy, uneasy steel cap.

"Ride forward," he said, "and give the prisoner back his hat."

Samson stared, but of course obeyed. Untying the hat from his saddle,
he rode forward to where Scarlett sat, gazing straight before him.

"Captain sent your hat, sir. Shall I put it on?"

There was no reply.

"Your hat, sir. Shall I put it on?"

Scarlett took not the slightest notice, and after a momentary hesitation
Samson uttered a grunt, pressed his horse a little closer, took the
steel cap from the young prisoner's head, and placed the feathered felt
there instead.

Then, backing his horse, he allowed the party to pass on, while he
resumed his place, hanging the steel headpiece to his saddle-bow by the
strap and chain.

"What's that? Look!" cried Fred, sharply.

He checked his horse as he spoke, and looked back, needing no answer,
for there behind them in the dusty road, battered and disfigured, lay
Scarlett's dashing head-gear; for so badly had it been replaced that, in
his suppressed rage, the prisoner had given his head an angry toss, the
felt hat had fallen, and it seemed as if, out of malice, every horse had
passed over it, and trampled it down in the dust.

"Shall I pick it up, sir?" said Samson.

"No; let it be there," was the reply. "Take the prisoner the headpiece
again."

Samson muttered to himself as he unhooked the steel cap and rode
forward, while, in his resentment at having to go through the same duty
twice, he took pains to treat the helmet as if it were an extinguisher,
literally putting Scarlett out, so far as seeing was concerned.

And all the while, with his arms bound behind him, Scarlett Markham rode
on with his head erect.

"Another insult," he said to himself.