第49章

The red-faced man, without the slightest warning, swiftly stepped towards Cameron and, before the latter could defend himself, struck him a heavy blow. Cameron staggered, fell, and struggled again to his knees. The red-faced man sprang forward to kick him in the face, when Haley interposed--"Hold up there, now! Friend o' Tim's, friend o' mine, ye know!"

"Hurry up," said Sam, closing in on Haley. "Quit fooling. Give 'im the billy and let's get away!"

But Haley, though unskilled with his hands, was a man of more than ordinary strength, and he swung his long arms about with such vigour that neither Sam, who was savagely striking at his head, nor the red-faced man, who was dancing about waiting for a chance to get in with the "billy," which he held in his hand, was able to bring the affair to a finish. It could be a matter of only a few moments, however, for both Sam and his friend were evidently skilled in the arts of the thug, while Haley, though powerful enough, was chiefly occupying himself in beating the air. A blow from the billy dropped one of Haley's arms helpless. The red-faced man, following up his advantage, ran in to finish, but Haley gripped him by the wrist and, exerting all his strength, gave a mighty heave and threw him heavily against Sam, who was running in upon the other side. At the same time Cameron, who was rapidly recovering, clutched Sam by a leg and brought him heavily to earth.

Reaching down, Haley gripped Cameron by the collar and hauled him to his feet just as Sam, who had sprung up, ran to the attack.

Steadied by Haley, Cameron braced himself, and, at exactly the right moment, stiffened his left arm with the whole weight of his body behind it. The result was a most unhappy one for Sam, who, expecting no such reception, was lifted clear off his feet and hurled to the ground some distance away. The exhilaration of his achievement brought Cameron's blood back again to his brain.

Swiftly he turned upon the red-faced man just as that worthy had brought Haley to his knees with a cruel blow and was preparing to finish off his victim. With a shout Cameron sprang at him, the man turned quickly, warded off Cameron's blow, and then, seeing Sam lying helpless upon the ground, turned and fled down the lane.

"Say, young feller!" panted Haley, staggering to his feet, "yeh came in mighty slick that time. Yeh ain't got a bottle on ye, hev yeh?"

"No!" said Cameron, "but there's a pump near by."

"Jest as good and a little better," said Haley, staggering towards the pump. "Say," he continued, with a humourous twinkle in his eye, and glancing at the man lying on the ground, "Sam's kinder quiet, ain't he? Run agin something hard like, I guess."

Cameron filled a bucket with water and into its icy depths Haley plunged his head.

"Ow! that's good," he sputtered, plunging his head in again and again. "Fill 'er up once more!" he said, wiping off his face with a big red handkerchief. "Now, I shouldn't wonder if it would help Sam a bit."

He picked up the bucket of water and approached Sam, who meantime had got to a sitting position and was blinking stupidly around.

"Here, ye blamed hog, hev a wash, ye need it bad!" So saying, Haley flung the whole bucket of water over Sam's head and shoulders. "Fill 'er up again," he said, but Sam had had enough, and, swearing wildly, gasping and sputtering, he made off down the lane.

"I've heard o' them circus toughs," said Haley in a meditative tone, "but never jest seen 'em before. Say, young feller, yeh came in mighty handy fer me a' right, and seeing as yer Tim's friend put it there." He gripped Cameron's hand and shook it heartily.

"Here's Tim with the team, and, say, there's no need to mention anything about them fellers. Tim's real tender hearted. Well, I'm glad to hev met yeh. Good-bye! Living here?"

"No!"

"Travellin', eh?"

"Not exactly," replied Cameron. "The truth is I'm looking for a position."

"A position? School teachin', mebbe?"

"No, a position on a farm."

"On a farm? Ha! ha! good! Position on a farm," repeated Haley.

"Yes," replied Cameron. "Do you know of any?"

"Position on a farm!" said Haley again, as if trying to grasp the meaning of this extraordinary quest. "There ain't any."

"No positions?" enquired Cameron.

"Nary one! Say, young man, where do you come from?"

"Scotland," replied Cameron.

"Scotland! yeh don't say, now. Jest out, eh?"

"Yes, about a month or so."

"Well, well! Yeh don't say so!"

"Yes," replied Cameron, "and I am surprised to hear that there is no work."

"Oh! hold on there now!" interposed Haley gravely. "If it's work you want there are stacks of it lying round, but there ain't no positions. Positions!" ejaculated Haley, who seemed to be fascinated by the word, "there ain't none on my farm except one and I hold that myself; but there's lots o' work, and--why! I want a man right now. What say? Come along, stay's long's yeh like. I like yeh fine."

"All right," said Cameron. "Wait till I get my bag, but I ought to tell you I have had no experience."

"No experience, eh!" Haley pondered. "Well, we'll give it to you, and anyway you saved me some experience to-day and you come home with me."

When he returned he found Haley sitting on the bottom of the wagon rapidly sinking into slumber. The effects of the bucket were passing off.

"What about the groceries, Tim?" enquired Cameron.

"We've got to git 'em," said Tim, "or we'll catch it sure."