26 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



" Where from ? " asked my father. 



" Charteridge." I knew he lied ; but I had 

 to keep moving round father to ward off Dell, 

 trying all the while to rouse up old Dick to do 

 something. The only success I met with in 

 the last named direction was, that Dick kept 

 on repeating : " All we want is civility." I 

 could not help thinking that Dick was an ass. 



Widdie Dell now dropped the sword, and, 

 swearing horribly all the time, again flourished 

 the stake about, and I half expected every 

 moment that, although he might not smash 

 out father's brains purposely, he might do so 

 by accident. Meanwhile Cogdill kept urging 

 him to beat father off. I regained possession 

 of my sword, just as father let go of Cogdill; 

 but he immediately seized him again, saying : 

 " That's not your name. I know you, but I 

 can't remember your name. Confound you.' 5 



Then followed a sharper struggle than 

 before, and my father threw him again ; but, 

 as they were on the side of a bank, Cogdill 

 gave a twist, and somehow got uppermost. 



" Now," said he, " it's my turn." And with 



