Then he wrestled and struggled, and strove to wrench his limbs from that hateful bondage;--for he heard steps approaching. And he began to picture to himself the arrival of all the villagers from church, the sad gaze of the Parson, the bent brow of the Squire, the idle ill-suppressed titter of all the boys, jealous of his unblotted character--character of which the original whiteness could never, never be restored! He would always be the boy who had sate in the Stocks! And the words uttered by the Squire came back on his soul, like the voice of conscience in the ears of some doomed Macbeth. "A sad disgrace, Lenny--you'll never be in such a quandary." "Quandary," the word was unfamiliar to him; it must mean something awfully discreditable. The poor boy could have prayed for the earth to swallow him. CHAPTER VIII. "Kettles and frying-pans! what has us here?" cried the tinker. This time Mr Sprott was without his donkey; for, it being Sunday, it is to be presumed that the donkey was enjoying his Sabbath on the Common. The tinker was in his Sunday's best, clean and smart, about to take his lounge in the park. Lenny Fairfield made no answer to the appeal. "You in the wood, my baby! Well, that's the last sight I should ha' thought to see. But we all lives to larn," added the tinker sententiously. "Who gave you them leggins? Can't you speak, lad?" "Nick Stirn." "Nick Stirn! Ay, I'd ha' ta'en my davy on that: and cos vy?" "'Cause I did as he told me, and fought a boy as was trespassing on these very Stocks; and he beat me--but I don't care for that; and that boy was a young gentleman, and going to visit the Squire; and so Nick Stirn--" Lenny stopped short, choked by rage and humiliation. "Augh," said the tinker, staring, "you fit with a young gentleman, did you? Sorry to hear you confess that, my lad! Sit there, and be thankful you ha' got off so cheap. 'Tis salt and battery to fit with your betters, and a Lunnon justice o' peace would have given you two months o' the treadmill. But vy should you fit cos he trespassed on the Stocks? It ben't your natural side for fitting, I takes it." Lenny murmured something not very distinguishable about serving the Squire, and doing as he was bid.