But though Walter was learning to understand and appreciate his brother’s character, and to acknowledge his superiority to himself in moral courage, he was not altogether satisfied with continuing to lie under the sense of that superiority on his brother’s part. He had himself been so constantly made the object of his father’s admiration and outspoken praises, and had always been so popular with all friends of the family and guests at the Manor-house, that anything like a feeling of inferiority to his brother was one which he found it very hard to allow a lodging in his heart and thoughts. So, while the generous impulse of the moment had led him to applaud and rejoice in his brother’s noble moral courage, when they were discussing the matter in his aunt’s room, he was by no means prepared, when that impulse had died away, to allow Amos to carry off and retain the palm which he acknowledged that he had won. Jealousy of his brother’s reputation for moral courage with Miss Huntingdon was a meanness which he would have thought himself incapable of, and which he would have repudiated indignantly had he been charged with it. Nevertheless, it was there in his heart; it made him restless and dissatisfied, and kept him longing for an opportunity to display a moral courage which should shine with a light that might, even in his aunt’s eyes, eclipse, or at any rate equal, that which glowed so brightly in Amos. He was therefore on the watch for such an opportunity; and before long that opportunity, as he thought, presented itself.
One morning as the squire was reading the county paper, while his sister was superintending the preparations for breakfast, and her two nephews were seated near her, Mr Huntingdon exclaimed suddenly, in a tone of angry excitement, “Why, whatever is the meaning of this? Walter, my boy, whatever does it mean?”
“What, father?” asked his son in a voice of mingled uneasiness and surprise.
“Why, just listen to this advertisement:—‘I hereby challenge the working-men of this neighbourhood to a trial of skill in running, leaping, and shooting; and I promise to give a sovereign to any man who shall beat me in a mile race, a high jump, and firing at a mark. The trial to come off on Marley Heath, on Tuesday, June 8th, at four o’clock p.m.
“‘Signed, Walter Huntingdon, Flixworth Manor.’—Do you know anything about this, Walter? Did you really put this advertisement into the paper? or is it a disgraceful hoax?”
Poor Walter looked perfectly astounded, as did also his aunt and brother. Then he said, with some hesitation, “It is no advertisement of mine.”
“No, I thought not,” said his father indignantly. “It must be, then, a most shameful hoax; and I shall speak or write to the editor about it in pretty strong terms you may be sure.”
“Father,” said Walter sadly, and after a pause, “it is no hoax.”
“No hoax! What do you mean? You said you did not put the advertisement in; so it must be a hoax.”
“I will explain it,” said his son in a subdued voice. “The other day, young Saunders, Gregson, and myself were discussing which of us was the best shot, and best at a race and a jump. ‘Well,’ said I, ‘we can easily put it to the test. Let us meet to-morrow on Marley Heath and have it out.’ So we brought our guns with us next day; and Saunders and Gregson brought a few other fellows with them to look on and see all fair. We three fired at a mark, and leapt over a rod hung across two poles, and tried who was best runner over a hundred yards; and I won the day in all three things. So, as we were sitting down in the little roadside inn, where we all had some eggs and bacon and bread and cheese together for lunch, Gregson said to the other fellows, ‘Why, our friend Walter here might challenge the whole county.’ ‘That he might; and win too,’ said more than one of them. ‘I don’t know,’ I said; ‘but I shouldn’t mind offering a sovereign to any working-man in the neighbourhood who would beat me.’ ‘Good,’ said Saunders; ‘there’s many a working-man that would like to have a try for your sovereign; and it would be capital fun to see the match come off.’ ‘What do you say to putting an advertisement in the county paper to that effect?’ said Gregson. ‘Not I,’ I said; ‘I shall do nothing of the sort.’ ‘Ah, he’s backing out,’ said Saunders. ‘Indeed, I’m not,’ I cried; ‘I meant what I said.’ ‘Well, will you let me put the advertisement in in your name? Don’t be modest, man; you’re sure to win,’ said Gregson. ‘You can do so if you like,’ I replied; ‘I have no intention to go back from my word.’ I said this half in joke and half in earnest, and no doubt we were all a little excited with the sport and with the lunch; but I never dreamed that Gregson was serious when he talked about putting in the advertisement in my name, and I shall not soon forgive him for getting me into such a fix. So, father, that’s just all about it.”