"There's a fight, lads!" And, still rolling up his sleeve, he went out to the porch.

It was a new and astonishing spectacle to Rose, fresh from a prim boarding-school, and she watched the active lads with breathless interest, thinking their antics far superior to those of Mops, the dear departed monkey.

As he came up with them, he saw that two little lads, the one about nine years of age and the other somewhat older, were standing on the plot in front of the cottage, each holding out a round stick in their left hands, with their arms stiff and straight from the shoulder, as silent and still as two small statues.

When it was getting near nine o'clock he went out to the garden to wait till she came, and the fair-haired lad along with him; but as soon as the lad got the chance he stuck the pin into his master's coat again and he fell asleep as before.

Had he known what further the boy contemplated he would doubtless have entirely abandoned his own scheme of revenge and aided the boy whole heartedly in the consummation of the lad's, which would have been better for Paulvitch, could he have but read the future but a few short hours ahead.

I could hear them bickering among themselves as to whose fault it was; some were weeping--for themselves, for me, and for the disgraceful way their lads had behaved.

An incident which happened about this time will set the characters of these two lads more fairly before the discerning reader than is in the power of the longest dissertation.

"Now, lad," said he, "tell us thy troubles, and speak freely.

The lad, waiting in the front garden, followed her.

Yes, and when I have my flock, I'll just point to you, and say `There's your model, my lads'."

Nathless, Robin contented himself with parrying, and was loth to exert all his superior strength upon the lad. So the fight lasted for above a quarter of an hour, at the end of which time the page was almost spent and the hot blood flushed his cheeks in a most charming manner.

Dost know of such a place, lad, as Kingsbere-sub-Greenhill?"

At this reply Mr Witherden buried his nose in the flowers again, and whispered behind the nosegay to the old gentleman that he believed the lad was as honest a lad as need be.

"He wasnae a good lad at the best of it, and I've nae call to interfere."

"Eh, my lad, he went aff to Treddles'on this forenoon, an's niver come back.