miscellaneous heap of legs and feathers began to resolve
itself into its original elements. First Carl was pulled off by one of
the new comers; then Dan and the man Carl had sent to comfort him fell
to blows, clinched each other, and rolled upon the earth; and lastly,
Mr. Silas Ropes arose, choked with passion and feathers, from under the
rent and bursting bed. The two squabbling men were also quickly on their
feet, Mr. Pepperill proving too much for his antagonist.

"What did you pitch into me fur?" demanded Silas, threatening his friend
Dan.

"What did Gad pitch into me fur?" said the irate Dan, shaking his fist
at Gad.

"What did you push and jump on to me fur?" said Gad, clutching Carl, who
was still laughing.

Thus the wrath of the whole party was turned against the boy.

"Pless me!" said he, staring innocently, "I tought it vas all for
shport!"

The furious Mr. Ropes was about to convince him, by some violent act, of
his mistake, when cries from the direction of the school-house called
his attention.

"See what's there, boys!" said Silas.

"Durn me," said Mr. Pepperill, looking across the field as he brushed
the feathers from his clothes, "if it ain't the master himself!"

In fact, Penn had by this time summoned courage to slip back the bolt,
throw open the school-house door, and come out.

The gentlemen who were heating the tar and drinking from the bottle were
taken by surprise. They had not expected that the fellow would come out
at all, but wait to be dragged out. Their natural conclusion was, that
he was armed; for he appeared with as calm and determined a front as if
he had been perfectly safe from injury himself, while it was in his
power to do them some fatal mischief. They could not understand how the
mere consciousness of his own uprightness, and a sense of reliance on
the arm of eternal justice, could inspire a man with courage to face so
many.

"My friends," said Penn, as they beset him with threats and blasphemy,
"I have never injured one of you, and you will not harm me."

And as if some deity held an invisible shield above him, he passed by;
and they, in their astonishment, durst not even lay their hands upon
him.

"I've hearn tell he was a Quaker, and wouldn't fight," muttered one;
"but I see a revolver under his coat!"

"Where's Sile? Where's Sile Ropes?" cried others, who, though themselves
unwilling to assume the responsibility of seizing the young master,
would have been gla