Here John was right, and Godfrey knew it, and this vexed him the more. He had an inordinate opinion of himself and his own consequence, and felt humiliated at being disobeyed by a servant, without being able to punish him for his audacity. This feeling was increased by the presence of a third party, who was standing just outside the fence. As this third party is our hero, I must take a separate paragraph to describe him. He was about the age of Godfrey, possibly a little shorter and stouter. He had a freckled face, full of good humor, but at the same time resolute and determined. He appeared to be one who had a will of his own, but not inclined to interfere with others, though ready to stand up for his own rights. In dress he compared very unfavorably with the young aristocrat, who was biting his lips with vexation. In fact, though he is my hero, his dress was far from heroic. He had no vest, and his coat was ragged, as well as his pants. He had on a pair of shoes two or three times too large for him. They had not been made to order, but had been given him by a gentleman of nearly double his size, and fitted him too much. He wore a straw hat, for it was summer, but the brim was semi-detached, and a part of his brown hair found its way through it. Now Godfrey was just in the mood for picking a quarrel with somebody, and as there was no excuse for quarreling any further with John, he was rather glad to pitch into the young stranger. "Who are you?" he demanded, in his usual imperious tone, and with a contraction of the brow. "Only an Irish boy!" answered the other, with a droll look and a slight brogue. "Then what business have you leaning against my fence?" again demanded Godfrey, imperiously. "Shure, I didn't know it was your fence." "Then you know now. Quit leaning against it." "Why should I, now? I don't hurt it, do I?" "No matter--I told you to go away. We don't want any beggars here." "Shure, I don't see any," said the other boy, demurely. "What are you but a beggar?" "Shure, I'm a gintleman of indepindent fortune." "You look like it," said Godfrey, disdainfully. "Where do you keep it?" "Here!" said the Irish boy, tapping a bundle which he carried over his shoulder, wrapped in a red cotton handkerchief, with a stick thrust through beneath the knot. "What's your name?" "Andy Burke. What's yours?" "I don't feel under any obligations to answer your questions," said Godfrey, haughtily. "Don't you? Then what made you ask me?" "That's different. You are only an Irish boy." "And who are you?" "I am the only son of Colonel Anthony Preston," returned Godfrey, impressively. "Are you, now? I thought you was a royal duke, or maybe Queen Victoria's oldest boy." "Fellow, you are becoming impertinent." "Faith, I didn't mean it. You look so proud and gintale that it's jist a mistake I made." "You knew that we had no dukes in America," said Godfrey, suspiciously. "If we had, now, you'd be one of them," said Andy.