t loosing his hold of it, turned with such fury upon
the intruder, that he recoiled, and, tripping his heels in the trodden
buckwheat, keeled over backward.

Meanwhile Rufe had Zeph down, and was rubbing the soft black loam of the
tilled field very thoroughly into his features, giving especial
attention to his neck and ears. Zeph was spitting the soil of the
country, and screaming; and Rufe was saying,--

"Lie still! I'll give your face such a scouring as it hasn't had since
you was a baby and fell into the soft-soap barrel!"

Jack backed quietly off, as Peakslow, cocking his gun, pressed upon him
with loud threats and blazing eyes. The angry man was striding through
the gap, when Betterson stepped before him, courteous, stately, with a
polite but dangerous smile.

"Have a care, friend Peakslow!" he said. "If you come upon my premises
with a gun, threatening to shoot folks, I'll riddle you with small shot;
I'll fill you as full of holes as a pepper-box!"

CHAPTER XXVI.

VICTORY.

Peakslow halted in the gap of the fence, his fury cooling before Lord
Betterson's steady eyes and quiet threat.

Betterson went on, speaking deliberately, while his poised and ready
barrels gave emphasis to his remarks,--

"You've talked a good deal of shooting, one time and another, friend
Peakslow. I think it is about time to have done with that foolishness.
Excuse my frankness."

"I've a right to defend my property and my premises!" said Peakslow,
glowing and fuming, but never stepping beyond the gap.

"What property or premises, good neighbor? The horse is this young
man's; and nobody has set foot on your land."

"That dog was on my land."

"And so was the horse," put in Jack.

"Take him off, pa! he's smotherin' on me!" shouted Zeph.

"Your boy is abusin' mine. I'll take care o' _him_!" And Peakslow set a
foot over the two lower rails left in the gap.

"You'd better stay where you are,--accept a friend's disinterested
advice," remarked Betterson. "If your boy had been on the right side of
the fence, minding his own business,--you will bear with me if I am
quite plain in my speech,--my boy would have had no occasion to soil his
hands with him."

Peakslow appeared quite cowed by this unexpected show of determination
in his easy-going neighbor. He stood astride the rails, just where
Betterson had arrested his advance, and contented himself with urging
Dud to the rescue of his brother.

"Why do ye stan' there and