In the course of a few moments it turned slowly round, and began to advance gravely towards him, but whether or not with any intention of accosting him either by word or blow, he could not yet divine. Shortly it reached within arm's length of him, and was about to address doubtless some very mysterious speech to his ear, when the thought flashed on the young man's mind like lightning that now or never was the time; so raising his drumstick of a bone, he took aim, and, before a single protest against his measure could be entered, nearly felled the intruder to the earth. “Don't strike!--don't strike!” cried the individual thus unexpectedly attacked. “I'm Veriquear!--I'm Veriquear!” “Certainly,” thought Colin, “you _are_ very queer indeed!”--for he instantly recognised the voice as that of his employer, “I'm very sorry--” “All right!--quite right!” said Veriquear, drawing a dark-lantern from a pocket behind him, and throwing a _bundle_ of rays like a bunch of carrots on the figure of his assistant. “It was decidedly your business to do as you have done; and I'm very much obliged to you--” “You are very welcome,” interrupted Colin. “For if you had not made it your duty to defend the place, I should have turned you away at a minute's notice to-morrow morning. I have done this on purpose to try your courage a little; only I meant to catch you in bed, instead of where you are.” “But I regret having struck you,” protested Colin. “As to that,” replied Peter, “that, you know, is _your_ business; and if I like to run the risk of getting a beating, why, that, of course, is mine. Only I never yet had a man in my employ that I did not try in the same way; and many a one have I discharged because they would not turn again. It's no use having a dog that won't bark, and bite too, if he is wanted; so I always put them to the proof in the first instance.” His hearer did not particularly admire Mr. Veriquear's sagacious method of trying the mettle of his men; but, inasmuch as it had so far ingratiated him into the favour of his employer, he did not lament the occurrence of a rencontre which, though it had promised seriously at the outset, terminated so harmlessly. He accordingly betook himself again to his pallet, and slept out soundly the remainder of the night; while Mr. Veriquear departed by the same way he had come, highly gratified with the courage of Colin, and rejoicing in the hard blow that he had so ably bestowed upon his shoulders. CHAPTER XXIV. _A Sunday sight in London.--Colin meets with his best friend, and receives a heart-breaking epistle from Miss Wintlebury._