his when Ralph, who had remained perfectly silent,
exclaimed abruptly, "Now then, come up."

Mark took not the slightest notice, and the order was repeated.

"Hear what the young master says?" growled Nick. "Come up!"

"Are you speaking to me, fellow?" cried Mark angrily. "Be off, I tell
you, before I come up and chastise you."

"Going to stand this, Master Ralph?" growled the man. "Shall I heave a
bit o' stone down upon him, and knock him off?"

For answer, Ralph drew back out of sight, and the two men followed at a
sign, leaving Mark alone, seated upon his perilous perch; but directly
after Ralph's head reappeared, and Nick's close beside it, when Mark
realised--rightly--that the other man had been sent on some mission--
what, he could not tell, but in all probability to fetch more help, so
as to be sure of taking him.

"Now," said Ralph sternly, "are you coming up to surrender?"

"What!" said Mark sharply; "why am I to surrender to you?"

"For trespass and robbery. This is my father's land, and those are our
birds."

Mark laughed scornfully to hide his annoyance, for conscience pricked
hard.

"Your land, indeed!" he cried. "Wild moorland, open to anybody; and as
to the birds, are all the crows yours too?"

Ralph did not condescend to reply, but lay there looking down at the
young representative of his father's rival.

"I wish you good day, Master Owner of the land, and lord of the birds of
the air," said Mark mockingly. "If you had asked me civilly, I might
perhaps have given you a young raven. As it is, I shall not."

"What are you going to do?" said Ralph sharply. "Wait and see," was the
mocking reply. "Shan't I heave this stone down on his head, Master
Ralph?" said Nick in a low tone; but the words came plainly to Mark's
ear, and sent a cold chill of horror thrilling through his nerves; but
he felt better the next moment, and then anger took the place of dread,
for Ralph said sharply, "Put the stone down, sirrah! You know I want to
take the wolf's cub alive."

"Wolf's cub!" said Mark to himself. "Never mind; I may meet him some
day when it is not three to one, and then he shall find that the wolf's
cub can bite."

Then, conscious that his every movement was watched, he cautiously rose
to his feet, made an effort to ignore the presence of lookers-on, and
began to climb sideways along the ledge, by the route he had come.
Still he had no intention of going up, knowing full well that he wo