"Yes, I hear," I said. "But I am not afraid of you." He was at me in an instant, knocking me to the floor, so that the breath went out of me, and was pounding me vigorously ere I recovered from the shock and astonishment of it and began to defend myself. He was taller than I, and wiry, but not so rugged. Yet there was a look about him that was far beyond his strength. A look that meant, NEVER SAY DIE. Curiously, even as I fought desperately I compared him with that other lad I had known, Andy Jackson. And this one, though not so powerful, frightened me the more in his relentlessness. Perhaps we should have been fighting still had not some one pulled us apart, and when my vision cleared I saw Nick, struggling and kicking, held tightly in the hands of the clergyman. And it was all that gentleman could do to hold him. I am sure it was quite five minutes before he forced the lad, exhausted, on to the seat. And then there was a defiance about his nostrils that showed he was undefeated. The clergyman, still holding him with one hand, took out his handkerchief with the other and wiped his brow. I expected a scolding and a sermon. To my amazement the clergyman said quietly:-- "Now what was the trouble, David?" "I'll not be the one to tell it, sir," I said, and trembled at my temerity. The parson looked at me queerly. "Then you are in the right of it," he said. "It is as I thought; I'll not expect Nicholas to tell me." "I will tell you, sir," said Nicholas. "He was in the house with my father when--when he ran away. And I said that if he ever spoke of it to any one, I would kill him." For a while the clergyman was silent, gazing with a strange tenderness at the lad, whose face was averted. "And you, David?" he said presently. "I--I never mean to tell, sir. But I was not to be frightened." "Quite right, my lad," said the clergyman, so kindly that it sent a strange thrill through me. Nicholas looked up quickly. "You won't tell?" he said. "No," I said. "You can let me go now, Mr. Mason," said he. Mr. Mason did. And he came over and sat beside me, but said nothing more. After a while Mr. Mason cleared his throat. "Nicholas," said he, "when you grow older you will understand these matters better. Your father went away to join the side he believes in, the side we all believe in--the King's side." "Did he ever pretend to like the other side?" asked Nick, quickly. "When you grow older you will know his motives," answered the clergyman, gently. "Until then; you must trust him." "You never pretended," cried Nick. "Thank God I never was forced to do so," said the clergyman, fervently.