t all the sperrit he always did have, and
is ripe as ever for a row; but is he fit, big and heavy as he's growed,
to go down fighting salmon-poachers?"

"No; but we could have knocked up Tom Gardener and the other men, and
gone ourselves."

"Oh!" ejaculated the old sailor, laughing. "He'd have heared, perhaps.
Think you could ha' made him keep back when there was a fight, Master
Nic?"

"No, I suppose not; but he will be horribly angry, and go on at you
fiercely when he knows."

"Oh, of course," said the man coolly. "That's his way; but I'm used to
that. It does him good, he likes it, and it don't do me no harm. Never
did in the old days at sea."

"Has any one been down to the river?"

"Oh yes; me and Tom Gardener went down as soon as it was daylight; and
they've been having a fine game."

"Game?"

"Ay, that they have, Master Nic," said the man, laughing. "There's no
water coming over the fall, and the pool was full of fish."

"Well, I know that, Bill," cried Nic impatiently; "but you don't mean to
say that--"

"Yes, I do," said the man, grinning. "They've cleared it."

"And you laugh, sir!"

"Well, 'taren't nowt to cry about, Master Nic. On'y a few fish."

"And you know how particular my father is about the salmon."

"Oh, ay. Of course I know; but he eats more of 'em than's good for him
now. 'Sides, they left three on the side. Slipped out o' their
baskets, I suppose."

Nic was right: the Captain was furious, and the servants, from William
Solly to the youngest gardener, were what they called "tongue-thrashed,"
Captain Revel storming as if he were once more rating his crew aboard
ship.

"They all heard, Nic, my boy," he said to his son. "I believe they knew
the scoundrels were coming, and they were too cowardly to give the
alarm."

This was after a walk down to the pool, where the water was clear and
still save where a little stream ran sparkling over the shelf of rock
instead of a thunderous fall, the gathering from the high grounds of the
moors.

"I'm afraid they heard them, father," said Nic.

"Afraid? I'm sure of it, boy."

"And that they did not like the idea of your getting mixed up in the
fight."

"Ah!" cried the Captain, catching his son by the shoulder; "then you
knew of it too, sir? You wanted me to be kept out of it."

"I do want you to be kept out of any struggle, father," said Nic.

"Why, sir, why?" panted the old officer.

"Because you are not so active as you