Try and Trust | Page 7

he chose to dictate. But he had met his match, as it
turned out.
"I have already given you half the road," said Herbert, firmly, "and I
don't intend to give you any more."
"You don't, eh? Young man, how old are you?"
"I am fourteen."
"I should think you were forty by the airs you put on."
"Is it putting on airs to insist on my rights?" asked our hero.
"Your rights!" retorted the other, laughing contemptuously.
"Yes, my rights," returned Herbert, quietly. "I have a right to half of the
road, and I have taken it. If I turn out any more, I shall go into the
gully."

"That makes no difference. A wetting won't do you any harm. Your
impudence needs cooling."
"That may be," said Herbert, who did not choose to get angry, but was
resolved to maintain his rights; "but I object to the wetting, for all that,
and as this wagon is not mine, I do not choose to upset it."
"You are the most insolent young scamp I ever came across!"
exclaimed the other, furiously. "I've a good mind to give you something
much worse than a wetting."
"Such as what?" asked our hero, coolly. In reply the man flourished his
whip significantly. "Do you see that?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, very well," said the other, ironically; "I'm glad you do. Perhaps
you wouldn't like to feel it?"
"No, I don't think I should," said Herbert, not exhibiting the least
apprehension.
The stranger handled his whip, eyeing our hero viciously at the same
time, as if it would have afforded him uncommon pleasure to lay it over
his back. But there was something in the look of our hero which
unconsciously cowed him, and, much as he wished to strike him, he
held back.
"Well, you're a cool hand," he said, after a moment's hesitation.
To this our hero did not see fit to make any reply. But he grasped his
own whip a little tighter. So brutal had been the tone assumed by the
stranger, that he was not sure but he might proceed to carry out his
threat, and lay the whip over his back. He determined, in that case, to
give him as good as he sent. I will not express any opinion as to the
propriety of this determination, but I am certain, from what I know of
our hero's fearless spirit, that he would not have hesitated to do it, be
the consequences what they might. But he did not have the opportunity.

"Once more," demanded the stranger, furiously; "are you going to turn
out?"
"No," said the boy, decidedly.
"Then--I'll run you down."
So saying, he brought the whip violently on the horse's back. The latter
gave a convulsive spring forward. But his driver had not taken into
consideration that the farm-wagon was the stronger of the two vehicles,
and that in any collision the buggy must come off second best. So it
happened that a wheel of the buggy was broken, and the driver, in the
shock, thrown sprawling into a puddle on the other side of the road.
The wagon suffered no damage, but the old horse, terrified, set off at a
rapid pace. Herbert looked back to see if the stranger was injured, but
seeing that he had already picked himself up unwounded, but decidedly
dirty, he concluded to keep on his way to the mill.
The driver of the overturned vehicle was considerably more angry than
hurt at this catastrophe.
It chafed his pride not a little to think that, after all his vaunts, the boy
had maintained his ground, and got the better of him. For a man of
forty-five to be worsted by a boy of fourteen was, it must be confessed,
a little mortifying. It was something like a great ship of the line being
compelled to surrender to a little monitor.
No one feels particularly dignified or good-natured when he is picking
himself out of a mud puddle. Our black-haired acquaintance proved no
exception to this remark. He shook his fist at the receding wagon and
its occupant--a demonstration of defiance which our hero did not
witness, his back being now turned to his late opponent.
Mr. Abner Holden--for this was the stranger's name--next turned his
attention to the buggy, which had been damaged to some extent, and so
was likely to involve him in expense. This was another uncomfortable
reflection. Meanwhile, as it was no longer in a fit state for travel, he
must contrive some way to have it carried back to the stable, and,

unless he could procure another vehicle, perform the rest of the journey
on foot.
Luckily, some men in a neighboring field had witnessed the collision,
and, supposing their services might be required, were now present