Old Thomas went away and returned again, saying the master ordered me to go in. But I wouldn’t do anything of the sort. If he forgot the bargain, I did not.
Out came the Squire, his face red, napkin in hand, and laid hold of me by the shoulders.
“You obstinate young Turk! How dare you defy me? Come along.”
“But it is not to defy you, sir. It was a bargain, you know; I promised.”
“What was a bargain?”
“That I should not have any dinner for three days. Indeed I meant it.”
The Squire’s answer was to propel me into the dining-room. “Move down, Joe,” he said, “I’ll have him by me to-day. I’ll see whether he is to starve himself out of bravado.”
“Why, what’s up?” asked Tod, as he went to a lower seat. “What have you been doing, Johnny?”
“Never mind,” said the Squire, putting enough mutton on my plate for two. “You eat that, Mr. Johnny?”