"You are an insolent jackanapes"---- "I'm not--come, I am trying to keep my temper; but p'r'aps you think Betsy a good speck? Bah! she'll not have five hundred pounds; and your bumptious old governor won't buy back many of the old acres with a dribble like that." This time I did not give him a minute's grace: my hand was on his collar in a moment; I shook him till his teeth rattled audibly, like dice in a box; I kicked him, pushed him, and, as the gratification grew with what it fed on, at one dread reckoning I paid off the horror I experienced from his account of the girl I had worshipped, and his insolent mention of my father. I took a fiendish delight in prolonging his agonies. Another minute's indulgence in the punishment would have raised the tiger that lies sleeping, but always awakable, in every man's heart, and I might have killed him outright; but luckily we got near the boundary hedge. It was of strong old thorns, very thick and high, and very wide at top. I seized my victim with both hands, and swung him on to the summit of the hedge, where, after wriggling a short time in every variety of ridiculous contortions, and squeaking as he sank deeper and deeper among the thorns, he threw himself by a great effort to the other side, and rolled into the ditch. Some people seem to take naturally to a thrashing, as others do the small-pox. In a few minutes I perceived him emerge from the ditch and walk--though rather stiffly--across the field. "Thank Heaven," I said, "if I have been a dupe I am not a murderer!" CHAPTER IV. Next day I waited again--and the next, and the next; and no Lucy Ashton, or rather no Betsy Juffles, came. The next day was Friday--my birthday. I had much to do; my father was resolved to celebrate the great event by a solemn dinner _tete-a-tete_, during which he was to communicate his final decision with respect to my future pursuits. I hurried to the Wilderness in the morning--no success--and in despair betook myself once more to Mr Dobble. That gentleman's dovetailed observations were by no means elucidatory on the point I came to clear up. He did not know the names of all the members of any of the families--he had never heard of any persons of the name of Higginson or Wilcox--he knew nothing of the colour of people's eyes--and did not recollect whether any one member of his flock had red hair or black. How difficult to take the commonest observations in the cold northern latitude of forty-five! But one thing at last I discovered; the Juffleses were to leave on the following day--the Poggses had been gone since Tuesday. "By the by," he said, after this information; "you are much indebted to your cousin, young Jeeks--I never knew till lately he had the honour to be a relation." "I never knew it, sir; and certainly make no claim." "But you ought, my good sir, after the service he did you on Monday"---- "What service, sir? I am not aware of any."