nger of the two, and so much the less peaceable in all
his habits than Oliver: but yet Oliver made good fight for some time,
before he was knocked down completely. Roger was just about to give his
fallen enemy a kick in the stomach, when Ailwin seized him, and said she
was not going to see her young master killed before her face, by boy or
devil, whichever Roger might be. She tripped him up; and before Oliver
had risen, Roger lay sprawling, with Ailwin kneeling upon him to keep
him down. Roger shouted out that they were two to one,--cowards, to
fight him two to one!

"I am as sorry for that as you can be," said Oliver, dashing away the
blood which streamed from his nose. "I wish I were as old and as tall
as you: but I am not. And this is no fighting for play, when it would
not signify if I was beaten every day for a week. Here are Mildred and
the baby; I have to take care of them till we know what has become of my
father and mother: and if you try to prevent me, I will get Ailwin, or
anybody or thing I can, to help me, sooner than they shall be hurt. If
father and mother ever come back to take care of Mildred, I will fight
you every day till I beat you, and let nobody interfere: but till then,
I will go to Mildred as often as she calls, if you drown for it, as I
showed you this morning."

Roger answered only by fresh kicks and struggles. Ailwin said aloud
that she saw nothing for it but leaving him on this spit of land, to
starve on the dunghill. There would be no taking him over to the house
in this temper. Roger vowed he would drown all the little pigs, and
hough the cow. He had done such a thing before; and he would do it
again; so that they should not have a drop more milk for George.

"That will never do," said Oliver. "Ailwin, do you think we could get
him over to the Red-hill? He would have plenty to eat there, and might
do as he pleased, and be out of our way and the cow's. I could carry
him his dog."

Ailwin asked Oliver to bring her the cord from off the raft, and they
two could tie up the boy from doing mischief. Oliver brought the cord,
but he could not bear to think of using it so.

"Come, now, Roger," said he, "you picked this quarrel; and you may get
out of it in a moment. We don't want to quarrel at such a time as this.
Never mind what has happened. Only say you wont meddle between me and
the others while the flood lasts; and you shall help me to row home, and
I will thank you. Aft