voured them in silence. His appetite seemed enormous,
and the boys saw in dismay that if he kept on there would be very little
left. It was necessary, in self-defence, to limit the man's rapacity.

"More, more!" he cried, when he had eaten all that had been given him.

"We have given you all we can spare," said Harry firmly.

"Give me the basket, or I will kill you both!" exclaimed the tramp, his
eyes suffused with blood, and gleaming with fierce anger.

As he spoke, he raised a knotted stick which had served him as a cane,
and swung it menacingly above his head.

CHAPTER XIX.

A RUFFIAN FOILED.

Harry and Jack were brave boys, and not easily daunted, but the attitude
of the stranger was so menacing, and his frame so indicative of
strength, that they were both alarmed. Had their need of the provisions
been less urgent they would have surrendered them without a struggle,
but they felt that it was a question possibly of continued life or
starvation, and this inspired them to resistance.

Holding the basket in his hand, Harry retreated behind a tree, and began
to parley.

"You are asking too much," he said. "We have given you a meal. We need
the rest for ourselves."

"No palavering, boy!" said the tramp roughly. "I need it more than you
do. Give it to me, or I will kill you."

"If I only had some weapon," thought Harry.

While he was hesitating, the tramp with a quick movement sprang to where
he stood, clutched him by the collar, and flinging him on his back put
his knee on his breast, saying between his closed teeth, "Now I will
kill you, young jackanapes! I'll teach you to interfere with me."

Poor Harry thought his last moment had come. He was powerless against
his enemy, whose wild rage, shown in his distorted features, seemed
capable of anything. His sole helper was Jack, who flung himself on the
giant, and sought with his boyish strength to pull him away, but in
vain.

"I'll choke the life out of you, you young beast!" exclaimed the tramp,
preparing to clutch Harry by the throat. The moment was a critical one
for the poor boy, whose career came near ending then and there.

But assistance came when least expected.

A man who had approached, unseen by either of the three, jumped from the
underbrush and with one powerful blow sent the tramp sprawling on the
ground beside his intended victim.

[Illustration: Obed Rescues the Boys from the Tramp.]

"You're rather out of your reckoning, you mean