the steps together towards the door of the house,
which was opened at that instant by Ladoc, who had walked up to the
fort, clad only in his shirt and trousers, (the night being warm), to
give a report of the condition of things at the fishery, where he and
Rollo had quarrelled, and the men generally were in a state of mutiny.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE BULLY RECEIVES A LESSON.

We regret to be compelled to chronicle the fact, that Jack Robinson lost
command of his temper on the occasion referred to in the last chapter.
He and Teddy O'Donel rolled to the very feet of the amazed Ladoc, before
the force of their fall was expended. They sprang up instantly, and
Jack dealt the Irishman an open-handed box on the ear that sent him
staggering against one of the pillars of the verandah, and resounded in
the still night air like a pistol-shot. Poor Teddy would have fired up
under other circumstances, but he felt so deeply ashamed of having
caused the undignified mishap to his master, that he pocketed the
affront, and quietly retired towards his kitchen. On his way thither,
however, he was arrested by the tremendous tone in which Jack demanded
of Ladoc the reason of his appearance at such an untimely hour.

There was a slight dash of insolence in the man's reply.

"I come up, monsieur," said he, "to tell you if there be _two_ masters
at fishery, _I_ not be one of 'em. Rollo tink he do vat him please,
mais I say, no; so ve quarrel."

"And so, you take upon you to desert your post," thundered Jack.

"Vraiment, oui," coolly replied Ladoc.

Jack clenched his fist and sprang at the man as a bull-terrier might
leap on a mastiff. Almost in the act of striking he changed his mind,
and, instead of delivering one of those scientific blows with which he
had on more than one occasion in his past history terminated a fight at
its very commencement, he seized Ladoc by the throat, tripped up his
heels, and hurled him to the ground with such force, that he lay quite
still for at least half a minute! Leaving him there to the care of
O'Donel, who had returned, Jack went up to his bedroom, shut the door,
thrust his hands into his pockets, and began to pace the floor rapidly,
and to shake his head. Gradually his pace became slower, and the
shaking of his head more sedate. Presently he soliloquised in an
undertone.

"This won't do, John Robinson. You've let off too much steam. Quite
against your principles to be so violent--shame on