e wrestled fiercely with an enormous
Britisher, disguised as a stalk of pig-weed, and, after a breathless
tussle, dragged him bodily out of the ground, and flung his headless
corpse on the neighbouring pile of weeds.

"Ha! that was fine!" cried the boy. "I shouldn't be a bit surprised if
that was George the Third himself; it was ugly enough for him. Come up
here! hi! down with you! Now Jack the Giant-Killer is coming to help me,
and the British have got Cormoran (this was before Jack killed him), and
there's going to be a terrible row." But General Washington waves his
gallant sword, and calls to his men, and says,--

"Good morning, sir! you make a busy day, I see."

It was not General Washington who spoke. It was the Skipper, and he was
leaning on the gate and looking at the boy John and smiling. "You make a
busy day," he repeated. "I think there are soon no more weeds in Sir
Scraper's garden."

"Oh, yes!" cried John, straightening himself again, and leaning on his
trusty hoe. "There'll be just as many--I beg your pardon! Good morning!
I hope you are well; it is a very fine day. There'll be just as many of
them to-morrow, or next day, certainly. I make believe they are the
British, you see, and I've been fighting all the morning, and I do think
they are pretty well licked by this time; but they don't stay licked,
the British don't. I like them for that, don't you? Even though it is a
bother to go on fighting all the days of one's life."

"I also have noticed that of the British!" the Skipper said, nodding
gravely. "But now you can rest a little, Juan Colorado? Sir Scraper is
at home, that you call him for me, say I desire to make him the visit?"

"No, he isn't at home," said John. "He's gone down to the store for his
mail. But please come in and wait, and he'll be back soon. Do come in!
It--it's cool to rest, after walking in the sun."

It was the only inducement the child could think of, but he offered it
with right good-will. The Skipper assented with a smile and a nod, and
the two passed into the house together.

In the kitchen, which was the living-room of the house, John halted,
and brought a chair for his visitor, and prepared to play the host as
well as he could; but the visitor seemed, for some reason, not to fancy
the kitchen. He looked around with keen, searching eyes, scanning every
nook and corner in the bare little room. Truly, there was not much to
see. The old fireplace had been blocked up, and i