s lad to his tent, and throwing him on
the cot, deliberately sat down on his feet, in calm and cheerful
silence. Gerald twisted and writhed, exhausted himself in struggles,
threats, prayers; all in vain! Jack sat like a statue. Finally the boy
relapsed into sullen silence, and lay panting, his hand clenched, his
blue eyes dark with anger and chagrin.

By and by came the sound of wheels; a wagon stopped in front of the
camp. There were sounds of leave-taking; "Good-by, Claud!" "Our love to
your mother!" in various tones and modulations; then the sound of wheels
once more, rattling up the hill and away in the distance. Then Jack
Ferrers rose, and smiled down on his prostrate friend.

"Awfully sorry, old man!" he said.

Gerald was silent.

"Jerry! you're not going to cut up rough?"

"I have nothing to say," said Gerald, coldly.

"You are my guest, and manners forbid. We will change the subject, if
you please."

"Manners didn't forbid your chucking the Charmer into the drink!" said
Jack. "Ho! did you see him blink when he came up? It was worth while,
Jerry, even if I have to fight you, but I don't believe I shall. You
see, your father had to go off, and he asked me to keep the peace, and I
said I would; and I didn't see any other way, wildcat that you are. A
sweet condition the Charmer would have been in to go back to his Mamma,
if I had not done as I did!"

"I might have known the Pater was at the bottom of it!" said Gerald, his
face lightening, and his voice taking on its own kindly ring. "Fine man;
but the extent to which he won't let me thrash Claud is simply
disgusting. When it comes to setting a Megatherium on a man--"

"And to the Megatherium sitting on the man--" said Jack, laughing.

"No more o' that, Jack, if thou love me! There's the horn! Come on, and
let that flint-hearted parent see that we are all right."

The pair strolled in to supper, arm in arm, singing, to the tune of
"Home, Sweet Home!"

"Claud, Claud, sweet, sweet Claud!
There's no ass like Claud,
There is no ass like Claud!"

and were promptly silenced by Mrs. Merryweather.

CHAPTER XI.

MRS. MERRYWEATHER'S VIGIL

MRS. MERRYWEATHER had had a busy day. There had been a picnic at Oak
Island, which had taken all the morning and a good part of the
afternoon; then there had been a dozen letters to write for the late
mail; and finally she had taken Kitty's turn with Willy at getting
supper, as Kitty ha