were hard at work. As he watched
them he felt half envious. They had work to do, they had homes to
return to at night, they had characters, perhaps. Most of them were big
strong fellows like himself. Why should he not become one of them? He
fancied he could wheel a barrow, and ply a crowbar, and dig with a
spade, as well as any of them; he was not afraid of hard work any more
than they were, and the wages that kept a roof over their heads would
surely keep a roof over his.

As he sat on a bank by the roadside and watched them, he had almost
resolved to walk across to the foreman and ask for a job, when the sound
of voices close to him arrested him.

They were boys' voices, and their talk evidently referred to himself,
"Come along, Teddy," said one. "He won't hurt."

"I'm afraid," said the other. "He's so ugly."

"Perhaps that's how he gets his living--scaring the crows," said the
first speaker.

"He looks as if he meant to kill us."

"I shall fight him if he tries."

Jeffreys looked round and had a view of the valiant speaker and his
companion.

They were two neatly dressed little fellows, hand-in-hand, and evidently
brothers. The younger--he who considered his life in danger--was about
eight, his intrepid brother being apparently about a year his senior.
They had little satchels over their shoulders, and parti-coloured
cricket caps on their little curly heads. Their faces were bright and
shining, the knees of their stockings were elaborately darned, the
little hands were unmistakably ink-stained, and their pockets were
bulged out almost to bursting.

Such was the apparition which confronted the Bolsover "cad" as he sat
slowly making up his mind to become a labourer.

The younger brother drew back and began to cry, as soon as he perceived
that the terrible villain on the bank had turned and was regarding them.

"Freddy, Freddy, run!" he cried.

"I shan't," said Freddy with a big heave of his chest. "I'm not
afraid." The fluttering heart beneath that manly bosom belied the
words, as Freddy, dragging his brother by the hand, walked forward.

Jeffreys did not exactly know what to do. Were he to rise and approach
the little couple the consequences might be disastrous. Were he to
remain where he was or skulk away, he would be allowing them to believe
him the ruffian they thought him, and that lane would become a daily
terror to their little lives. The only thing was to endeavour to make
friend