e violin!"

"You refuse to give up the violin!" repeated Squire Pope, scarcely
believing the testimony of his ears. "Do I hear you aright?"

"Yes, sir."

"I never see such impudence!" ejaculated Nick Holden, wishing to egg on
the squire.

"Do you mean to defy me to my face?" demoded Squire Pope, growing very
red.

"I don't wish to defy you or anybody else," returned Philip; "but I
shall stand up for my rights."

"Misguided boy!" said the squire severely; "you will yet rue this rash
and heedless course. Frank," he continued, turning to Frank Dunbar, "do
you know where Philip's violin is!"

"Yes, sir."

"Do me the favor to bring it out and place it in my hands."

"You must excuse me, Squire Pope," answered Frank. "It belongs to
Philip, and I have no right to meddle with it."

"If Philip has told you this, he has misrepresented," said the squire,
rather discouraged by this second rebuff. "The violin does not belong to
Philip. It belongs to this young man."

And, with a wave of his hand, he designated Nick Holden.

It was not polite, but Frank Dunbar was so surprised by this
announcement that he whistled.

As for Philip, he regarded Nick calmly; but there didn't seem to be any
sign of yielding in his look.

"It belongs to Nicholas, because I have sold it to him," continued
Squire Pope doggedly.

"That's so!" corroborated Nick complacently. "The squire sold me the
fiddle for two-fifty. It's mine now, and you'd better fetch it along
out, or there'll be trouble."

Philip turned to Squire Pope, and said quietly:

"As you had no right to sell it, the sale amounts to nothing. If you
had a right, I should say you were not very shrewd to sell an instrument
that cost twenty-five dollars--and was considered a bargain at the
price--for two dollars and fifty cents."

"The violin cost twenty-five dollars!" ejaculated the squire, in genuine
surprise.

For, as it has already been stated, he had no idea whatever of the usual
price for a violin.

"Yes, sir."

"Don't you believe him, squire," said Nicholas, afraid that he would
lose what he knew to be a good bargain. "No fiddle that was ever made
cost twenty-five dollars. It's ridiculous!"

"It does seem a large price," said the squire guardedly.

Squire Pope would doubtless have been surprised to learn that certain
violins of celebrated make--such as the Cremonas--have sold for
thousands of dollars. Probably he would have disbelieved it.

Nevertheless, he b