another.

Then: "Like a flat fish to take back with you, master? I've got a nice
brill. I'll put him in your boat."

And directly after a big broad fellow detached himself from the rail to
sidle up with: "Say, Master Aleck, would you mind asking the cap'n to
let me have another little bottle o' them iles he gives me for my
showther? It's getting bad again."

"You shall have it, Joney," cried Aleck.

"Thankye, sir. No hurry, sir. Just put the bottle in yer pocket nex'
time you come over, and that'll do."

Aleck went on up town, as it was called,--and the men hung themselves a
little more over the rail and growled at the boys who were following the
visitor, to "be off," and to "get out of that; now," with the result
that they still followed the lad and watched him, flattening their noses
against the panes of the fishing-tackle shop window, and following him
again when he came out to visit one or two other places of business,
till all the lad's self-set commissions were executed, and he turned to
retrace his steps to the harbour.

So far every movement had been followed by cutting remarks expressive of
the contempt in which the visitor was held. There had been threats,
too, of how he would be served one of these times. Remarks were made,
too, on his personal appearance and the cut of his clothes, but there
was nothing more than petty annoyance till the quarry was on his way
back to where he would be under the protection of the redoubtable
Dumpus, who did not scruple about "letting 'em have it," to use his own
words, it being very unpleasant whatever shape it took. But now the
pack began to rouse up and show its rage under the calm, careless,
defiant contempt with which it was being treated. Words, epithets, and
allusions grew more malicious, caustic, and insulting, and, these
producing no effect by the time the top of the slope was reached, bolder
tactics were commenced, the boys closing round and starting a kind of
horse-play in which one charged another, to give him a thrust so as to
drive him--quite willing--against the retiring visitor.

This was delightful; the mirth it excited grew more boisterous, and the
covert attacks more general.

But Aleck was on the alert and avoided several, till a more vigorous one
was attempted by the biggest lad present, a great, hulking, stupid,
hobbledehoy of a fellow, who drove a companion against Aleck's shoulder,
making him stagger for a moment, while the aggressor