?" he asked. "Perhaps you want some
further proof of my ability to hold my own?"

"I don't want to try any more back-holds with ye," Jake ruefully
replied, as he rubbed his bruised right shoulder. "Ye've got the cinch
on me in that game all right, and I'd like to know how ye did it. But
I'll try ye in runnin', and if ye beat me in that ye're a better all
round man than I am."

"All right," Douglas laughingly assented. "How far shall we run? I
guess we'll have big appetites after all this morning's exercise."

"See that tree?" and Jake pointed to the graceful elm down by the
shore. "Let's run down around that an' back to this barn."

"I'm ready," Douglas cried. "One, two, three, go!" he shouted.

They got a fair start and bounded over the field like two greyhounds
slipped from the leash. Shoulder to shoulder they ran, and by the time
they reached the tree there was not the slightest difference between
them. They both strove for the advantage of the upper ground in
drawing near the elm, with the result that they nearly collided with
each other. With a whoop Jake took the lead in his dash around the
tree, with Douglas right at his heels. But at that instant a form
leaped suddenly to his feet with a wild cry of fear, and then went down
again as the two runners dashed into him, and then sprawled full length
forward.

Douglas was first to recover, for Jake had some difficulty in
extricating himself from the thicket of tangled bushes into which he
had plunged. Standing nearby was the cause of their mishap. He was a
tall, lank youth of about seventeen, very thinly clad, and bare-footed.
His expression of fear had changed to one of astonishment as he watched
the two intruders upon his quietness.

As soon as Jake had scrambled to his feet and saw who it was who had
caused the disaster, he rushed straight toward the motionless youth.

"Ye good fer nothin' thing!" he roared, "I'll teach ye to be layin'
round here at night. Take that, ye goat!" and he administered a sound
box upon the youth's ear.

The lad gave vent to a howl of pain, and tried to get away, but Jake
held him in a firm grip and was about to repeat the blow when Douglas
interfered.

"Here, let up on that," he ordered, at the same time laying a firm hand
upon Jake's arm.

"But he deserves to be thumped," the latter insisted. "He's Empty in
name and empty in head, that's what he is. What business has he to be
sleepin' behind this tree?"