"And what has he been saying?" demanded the aristocratic bully, coolly. "Has he been telling you how I had to polish him off for insulting me?"
"No; he tells me that you stole a twenty-dollar bill from him!"
Percy was about to burst out into violent language, that would have astonished even his indulgent parent, but suddenly he changed his mind and allowed an injured look to cross his face.
"I hope, father, you don't believe any such outrageous story about me," he said, plaintively.
"Of course I don't," returned the squire, promptly. "I know my son will not steal."
"Ralph is mad because I gave him a good thrashing," went on the only son.
"I imagine the boot is on the other foot," put in Ralph. "It is Percy who got the worst of the encounter."
"He says you refused to pay the toll," went on Squire Paget.
"I only refused after he had called me all sorts of names," retorted the only son. "I was going over to Eastport, but after I had to teach him a lesson, I concluded to remain on this side."
"You are not telling the truth!" cried Ralph, indignantly. "It was you who insulted me, and I gave you a good deal less than you deserved in the shape of a whipping for doing it."