y at his pigs, two of which
were fighting.

"Ah, would you?" he cried; and he made believe to rush at them with
his big hook-handled stick.

Robin was thrown off his guard, and before he was aware of it the
boy made a side leap and, dropping his stick, seized him, threw him
over on his back, and sat astride upon his chest.

"Now won't you give em to me?" cried the herd-boy; and he whipped
off the cap and threw it to a little distance, with the result that
half a dozen pigs rushed at it; and as he made a brave fight to get
rid of his enemy, the last that Robin saw of his velvet cap and
plume was that one black pig tore out the feather, while another
was champing the velvet in his mouth.

It was a brave fight, but all in vain, and a few minutes later the
boy was standing triumphantly over poor Robin, with the gay jerkin
rolled up under his arm; and the little fellow struggled to his
feet in his trunk hose and white linen shirt, hot, angry, and torn,
and wishing with all his might that he were as big and strong as
the tyrant who had mastered him.

"I told yer I would," said the young ruffian, with a grin. "You
should ha' given 'em to me at first, and then I shouldn't have hurt
yer. Come on; I'll show yer now where yer can get something to
eat."

In his anger and shame Robin felt that he wanted no food now, only
to go and hide himself away among the trees; but his enemy's next
words had their effect.

"You didn't want this here," he said. "You've got plenty on you
now. Better nor I have. There, go straight on there, and I'll
show yer. D'yer hear?"

"I don't want to go now," said Robin fiercely.

"Oh, don't yer? Then I do. You're agoing afore I makes yer, and
when they've give yer a lot, you're going to eat part and bring
some to me so's I can help eat the rest. You bring a lot, mind,
'cause I can eat ever so much. Now then, go on."

"I can't--I don't want to," cried Robin. "You go first."

"What, and master come, p'raps, and find me gone! Likely! he'd
give me the strap again. There, get on."

Robin winced, for the young ruffian picked up his stick and poked
him as he would one of his pigs. But the little fellow could not
help himself, and he went on in the required direction among the
trees, the forest growing darker and darker, till suddenly voices
were heard, and the boy stopped,

"You go straight along there," he said, "and I'll wait."

"No, you go," said Robin. "You know them."

"Oh!