"That's the time I was going to pitch into him, but then I thought itwould be a pretty low-down thing for me to be fighting a countrytavern-boy, so I simply gave him my opinion of him. I don't believehe'd have held the horse, only he thought it would make you get awayquicker. He hates you. Did you ever kick him or anything?"

I laughed, and, telling Percy that I had never kicked the little child, Ithanked him for his championship of me.

CHAPTER XIII

A MAN WITH A LETTER