is mother as I had promised, and said what I could to
comfort her; but the good woman was mightily upset, and declared in
a passion of weeping that she was sure she would never see her Joe
again.

That evening at supper my father was even more quiet than his wont.
Mistress Pennyquick told me afterwards that he had been to see his
sister Lady Cludde and her husband at Cludde Court, and given them
a piece of his mind. What passed between them I know not, but I do
know that my father never set foot in Cludde Court again, nor did
his sister come any more to the farm, even when her brother lay
a-dying. His visit had this good effect, however, that I suffered
no more bullying at the hands of Dick Cludde or Cyrus Vetch. Dick
eyed me with a malignant scowl whenever he met me, and as for
Cyrus, who did not come back to school for a good ten days, he
looked over my head as though I did not exist, which gave me no
discomfort, you may be sure. At the end of that year they were both
taken from school, Cludde going to Cambridge, and Vetch to assist
his father, who was a grain merchant in a substantial way, as all
Shrewsbury supposed.

It would be a tedious matter were I to tell all the little
happenings of the next few years. Whether it was due to my constant
exercise under Captain Galsworthy's tuition, I know not, but
certainly, from that very summer, I grew at an amazing rate,
shooting up until I was as tall as boys three or four years older,
yet hardening at the same time. Twice a week regularly I betook
myself to the captain's little cottage on the Wem road, and spent
an hour with him in mastering the principles and practice of what
he called the noble arts of self defense. He was pleased to say
that I was quick of eye and nimble of body, and, being on my side
very eager to learn, I was speedily in his good books, and he
seemed to take a special pleasure in teaching me.

At first I found our bouts at fisticuffs a severe tax. The captain,
though well on in years, was still hale and active, and, being tall
and spare, he had a great advantage of me. With the long reach of
his arms he could pummel me without giving me the least chance of
reprisal, and many's the day I crawled home after our encounters
bruised and sore, provoking indignant remonstrances from Mistress
Pennyquick. But I refused to let her coddle me, and as my appetite
never failed, and I throve amazingly, the good woman at last ceased
to lament, and, as I discovere