think you need feel no fear. They
are as cowardly as they are blustering, and love not the feel of
hard blows upon their backs, as we have good reason to know. Two of
us would be equal to vanquishing the four."

"And there is a strapping young farmer, William Long by name, who
would gladly lend you the strength of his right arm," cried
Rosamund, kindling into excitement. "He was lately wedded to my
best friend, Mary Baker, and they live not far from our cottage. I
had thought to speak to him if things went on so; but four to one
is long odds, and moreover he is something stolid in the head, and
might mistake his men, and so get himself into trouble."

The thought of a battle on behalf of his good friend's daughter was
congenial enough to Tom, who had always felt a strong personal
antagonism to these bullies; an antagonism warmly shared by Harry
Gay, who eagerly entered into the plan for freeing Rose of their
unwelcome presence in her neighbourhood. He was also an admirer of
pretty Rosamund, whom he had known from childhood, although they
did not meet very regularly, as Harry did not often intrude upon
Cale on the Sunday, when he knew he liked to have Rosamund to
himself. However, he knew very well the haunts most frequented by
the four bullies who had taken it into their heads to persecute the
perruquier's daughter. They probably bore Cale a grudge for his
action towards them upon the Sunday when there had been the fight
in the street; and certainly if he had had any idea that they were
seeking to touch him through his child, he would have been
exceedingly uneasy, and his business must have suffered.

"I will keep a watch upon them," said Harry Gay, who was quite
pleased to join with so great a man as Tom Tufton had become in
some affair of this sort; "I will have an eye to them, and if I
think they are starting off for the north of the town, I will run
at once and fetch you; and we will follow and outstrip them, for
they must needs stop at every tavern as they go, and we can slip by
and be ready for them at Highgate."

So Tom remained for the most part in and about his lodging for the
next day or two, pleased enough to watch the busy life of the
streets, and hear the gossip of the young dandies in Cale's shop.
No word of any kind came to him from Lord Claud during this time of
waiting; but Tom had no anxieties as to the money he was to receive
for his services, and Master Cale had still a few guineas in hand
fro