a leg, and tried to throw him out by a clever
wrestling trick.

But Uncle Dick was too quick for him. Wrenching himself on one side he
threw his left arm over the fellow's neck, as he bent down, the right
arm under his leg, and whirled him up perfectly helpless, but kicking
with all his might.

"Come inside and shut that gate," said Uncle Dick, panting with his
exertion. "Now look here, my fine fellow, it would serve you right if I
dropped you into that dam to cool you down. But there, get on your
legs," he cried contemptuously, "and learn to be civil to strangers when
they come."

The scuffle and noise brought about a dozen workmen out of the place,
each in wooden clogs, with a rough wet apron about him, and his sleeves
rolled up nearly to the shoulder.

They came forward, looking very fierce and as if they were going to
attack us, headed by the fellow with the squint, who was no sooner at
liberty than he snatched up a rough piece of iron bar and rolled up his
right sleeve ready for a fresh attack.

"Give me that stick, Cob," said Uncle Dick quickly; and I handed him the
light Malacca cane I carried.

He had just seized it when the man raised the iron bar, and I felt sick
as I saw the blow that was aimed at my uncle's head.

I need not have felt troubled though, for, big as he was, he jumped
aside, avoided the bar with the greatest ease, and almost at the same
moment there was a whizz and a cut like lightning delivered by Uncle
Dick with my light cane.

It struck the assailant on the tendons of the leg beneath the knee, and
he uttered a yell and went down as if killed.

"Coom on, lads!" cried one of the others; and they rushed towards us,
headed by a heavy thick-set fellow; but no one flinched, and they
hesitated as they came close up.

"Take that fellow away," said Uncle Jack sternly; "and look here, while
you stay, if any gentleman comes to the gate don't send a surly dog like
that."

"Who are yow? What d'ye want? Happen yow'll get some'at if yo' stay."

"I want to go round the place. I am one of the proprietors who have
taken it."

"Eh, you be--be you? Here, lads, this is one o' chaps as is turning us
out. We've got the wheels ti' Saturday, and we wean't hev no one here."

"No, no," rose in chorus. "Open gate, lads, and hev 'em out."

"Keep back!" said Uncle Dick, stepping forward; "keep back, unless you
want to be hurt. No one is going to interfere with your rights, which
end on Satur