ith us it would be sure to come to Hathorn's ears;
then there would be an inquiry and a row. Like enough he would go up to
see the boy and inquire all about it. Then the men would suppose that
we had broken our words, and the next time you and I go out on a fishing
expedition there's no saying what mightn't happen to us. They are a
rough lot those moor men, and don't stick at trifles."

"I will say nothing about it," Tompkins replied hastily; "you may rely
on that. What a lucky fellow you are to be going home! Nothing will
be said to you for being an hour late. I shall get a licking to a
certainty. How I do hate that Hathorn, to be sure!"

They now came to the point where the road separated and each hurried on
at his best speed.

"You are late tonight, Ned," the boy's father said when he entered. "I
don't like your being out after dark. I don't mind how far you go so
that you are in by sunset; but, halloo!" he broke off, as he caught
sight of the boy's face as he approached the table at which the rest of
the party were sitting at tea; "what have you been doing to your face?"

Captain Sankey might well be surprised. One of the boy's eyes was
completely closed by a swelling which covered the whole side of his
face. His lip was badly cut, and the effect of that and the swelling
was to give his mouth the appearance of being twisted completely on one
side.

"Oh! there's nothing the matter," Ned replied cheerfully; "but I had a
fight with a boy on the moor."

"It is dreadful!--quite dreadful!" Mrs. Sankey said; "your going on like
this. It makes me feel quite faint and ill to look at you. I wonder you
don't get killed with your violent ways."

Ned made no reply but took his seat at the table, and fell to work upon
the hunches of thick brown bread and butter.

"I will tell you about it afterward, father," he said; "it really wasn't
my fault."

"I am sure I don't wish to hear the story of your quarrels and fighting,
Edward," Mrs. Sankey said; "the sight of you is quite enough to upset my
nerves and make me wretched. Of course if your father chooses to support
you in such goings on I can say nothing. Neither he nor you seem to
remember how trying such things as these are to any one with a broken
constitution like mine."

Captain Sankey, knowing from experience how useless it was to attempt to
argue with his wife when she was in this mood, continued to eat his meal
placidly. Ned seized his mug of milk and water, and t