He must have thought they had come in
collision with a gorilla or some sort of wild animal, for he started up
the river bank, shouting "Murder!" at the top of his voice. Ben, having
got through with the two under him, sprang off and allowed them to rise,
standing ready to renew the fight should they show any desire to do so.

[Illustration: BEN CAUGHT HIS ARM, JERKED HIM ACROSS THE BODY OF
RUTHERFORD, AND BELABORED BOTH OF THEM.--P. 12.]

But they were too thoroughly vanquished. Their plight was laughable, and
yet pitiable. They were coated with mud from head to foot, and their
pretty hats, with their polka-dot bands, were gone too far down the river
to be recovered.

They seemed dazed for a minute or so, but as soon as they realized they
were on their feet they started off after their flying companion, never
pausing to look behind them, but running as though a Bengal tiger was at
their heels.

"Ben," said I, walking forward as soon as I could assume a serious
expression of countenance, "do you not know it is very wrong to fight?"

"That's what I was tryin' to teach them city chaps. I guess they'll think
so after this."

"You certainly did your best to convince them it isn't wise to attack
you; but, Ben, what have you been doing lately?"

"My last job was whipping them," replied the urchin, with a roguish
twinkle of his blue eyes; "but that was fun, and if you mean work, I
hain't had anything but selling papers since last summer, but sometimes I
run errands."

"Do you go to school?"

"Yes, sir."

"Would you like a job?"

"Indeed I would, sir, for mother finds it hard work to get along, and
sometimes there isn't anything to eat in the house. Once, when I was a
little fellow, when I saw mother crying, and there was no bread, I
slipped out at night and stole a loaf, but mother would not touch it when
I brought it home, and made me take it back. She told me I must starve
before I did wrong, and so I will. I have been trying to get a job all
summer, but everybody says I am too young and small. I take all the
exercise I can, so as to make me grow, and that's one reason why I
pitched into them city chaps and laid 'em out."

"Well, Ben, you know where the office of the Western Union is; come
around there to-morrow morning, at eight o'clock, and I will give you
something to do."

"Oh, I'm very thankful to you, sir, and this will make my mother the
happiest woman in Damietta."

I saw tears in the bright eyes, a