id Mrs. Merryweather. "In case of a
false definition, the falsifier takes up the thread. Go on, Jerry."

"This man (he _was_ a chump, you'll see!) was so ugly that not a crow
dared to stay in the same county with him, and so disagreeable that it
gave one spasms to look at him; also, he had not the manners to take off
his hat--" he stopped short.

"Cap!"

"Hood!"

"Helmet!"

"Bonnet!"

"Head-dress!"

"Tam-o'-shanter!"

"Mitre!"

"Tiara!"

"Fez!"

"Turban!"

"Beretta!"

"I give in!" cried the Colonel. "I cannot think of another thing, so I
continue the tale.

"This odious person, after passing me in the unmannerly fashion
described, was about to proceed further; but I, seizing him by the coat
collar, lifted my stout stick, and gave him a good sound--"

"Thrashing!"

"Licking!"

"Beating!"

"Chastisement!"

"Hiding!"

"Walloping!"

"Whipping!"

"Scourging!"

"Drubbing!"

"Trouncing!"

"Thwacking!"

"Lashing!"

"Flogging!"

"Caning!"

"Larruping!"

"Fustigating!"

"Basting!"

"Leathering!"

"Thumping!"

"Whopping!"

"Rib-roasting!"

"Dear me!" cried Mrs. Merryweather. "This is rather terrible, I think.
There seem to be more terms to express personal violence than anything
else."

"We haven't begun to give them all, either!" said Phil. "If we are
allowed to use modern slang--I know you prefer ancient, Mammy--"

"I know you are a saucy boy!" said his mother.

"My dear friends," said the Chief, rising. "This is all very fine: but
the simple fact is, it is beginning to rain, and I think it advisable
for us to beat, fustigate, (where _did_ you get that, Miranda?) or
wallop, a retreat!"

Then there was scrambling up, and running to and fro, and gathering up
of baskets and shawls. The good old horse, which had been grazing
peacefully in a clearing hard by, was harnessed, and Mr. and Mrs.
Merryweather, Colonel Ferrers, and the _impedimenta_ bundled in and off
as hastily as might be. Finally, as the rain began to pour down in good
earnest, the younger campers gathered into a solid phalanx and walked
home across the fields, singing in chorus, and informing all whom it
might concern that they were

"Marching along,
Fifty score strong,
Great-hearted gentlemen, singing this song!"

CHAPTER V.

KITTY AND WILLY

"MA!" said Willy Merryweather.

"Baa!" replied his mother, without looking up from her writing.

Willy fidgeted, and lo