206 ON SURREY HILLS. 



forest. A great rough lout, at that time the terror 

 of the hamlet, rendered pot-valiant with bad beer, 

 followed, deriding him and again challenging him 

 to fight, whilst his loafing drunken comrades ap- 

 plauded and laughed boisterously. 



" Oh, Jack, he'll givin that 'ere new feller a good 

 clumpin' afore he'll leave him." When Jack had 

 got well into the cover of the trees he lost sight of 

 the ranger. 



" Druv' ye, hev I ? Druv' ye, hev I ? " roared the 

 ruffian. " Call yerself a man, do ee ? " 



Suddenly, from behind the trunk of a great tree 

 where he had concealed himself, the new ranger 

 stepped forth and spoke. 



" Eh, mon, but it's ye that'll have to prove yersel' 

 .a mon afore I lose grip on ye." Then setting to 

 work with the grim determination of his race, he 

 seized the great lump of fustian and corduroy, and 

 initiated him into the mysteries of falling heavily 

 against his will, and receiving unlooked - for and 

 crushing blows, without having the power to return 

 one. Then he loosed the bully, who fled. 



When his boon companions saw him return, limp- 

 ing and battered - looking, they wondered greatly. 



