"

Rose faced round at that, her face flushed, but her manner quite
calm.

"If you are thirsty, sir, there is water to be had in the brook
yonder. My father would not have me speak with strangers on the
road."

"But, fair maid," said another, "we cannot sure be called
strangers. We have seen your rosy cheeks and bright eyes many times
before, we--"

But before he had finished speaking, Rose had turned her back and
was walking up the path towards the house.

"No, no, no!" cried Dicing Dick; "you do not run away like that,
pretty Rosamund!"

The next moment he had flung the gate wide, and the whole four were
making a dash up the path in pursuit of the girl. They had probably
learned from the servant at the inn that her aunt was out, and had
thought they could terrify her into doing their pleasure, and
setting food and drink before them.

But they did not get far. With a sound like a growl and a
yell--such as he had given when he sprang at Montacute's
throat--Tom dashed out from the thicket, and seized Bully Bullen in
a bear-like clasp. The other two were not many yards behind, and
immediately there was a wholesale scrimmage in the little garden;
the sound of blows and oaths resounded, and many a yell of pain and
rage told that one or another of the bullies had got a well-merited
chastisement.

It was not Tom's wish to use his sword, but he applied his good
cudgel freely to the back of the bully, who was more his own height
and make than any of the others. Bully Bullen swore, and raved, and
threatened, and made ineffectual efforts to draw his rapier and run
his antagonist through the body. But he had been drinking, and
neither hand nor eye were steady; whilst Tom's clutch upon his coat
collar, as he kept swinging him half off his feet, and laying his
stout staff to his back, almost throttled him, and rendered his
efforts abortive.

Once Slippery Seal showed himself worthy of his name, by slipping
through the clutches of Harry, and dashing to get a good blow at
Tom, for whom these four worthies had conceived a powerful hatred;
but Tom saw the advance, and cleverly swerved round, so that the
blow descended upon the luckless Bullen, who roared anew with rage
and pain.

"Let them go now! let them go!" cried Rosamund at last, half
frightened at the scrimmage, and almost ready to pity the ruffians,
who were getting so much the worst of it.

Lusty William had quickly laid Dicing Dick prostrate on mother
earth,