Part 5 (1/2)
”Exactly, my boy; and I do not feel much fear of Captain Purlrose and his men.”
”No, father; I suppose he will keep on half-drawing his sword, and thrusting it back with a clang.”
”Exactly, Ralph, boy,” cried Sir Morton, laughing. ”Just that one act shows the man's character to a T. Bl.u.s.ter, and then retreat. But suppose it should come to fighting, my boy. Hadn't you better go back to school, and stay till the trouble's over?”
”What!” cried Ralph fiercely.
”You surely don't want to fight, boy?”
”No, father, I don't want to fight; but if you are obliged to--Oh, father, you will not send me away?”
Sir Morton looked searchingly at the flushed countenance before him for some moments before speaking.
”If you wish to stay, Ralph, certainly I shall not send you away. I only gave you the opportunity to go if you wished. However, perhaps we shall hear no more of the matter. Eden may not listen to that scoundrel. If he does, we may set to work and furbish up our arms, lay in stores of provisions, and be prepared for our defence.”
”Then I hope he will engage the men, father,” cried Ralph.
”Eh? And pray why, boy?” exclaimed Sir Morton.
”Because, father,” said the lad, speaking in a deeply-moved tone of voice, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng and his cheeks flushed. ”You have done nothing lately to show how deeply you resent all the old wrongs; and if the Edens hire these men, it will be a good opportunity for fighting our old foes, beating them and taking possession, and ending the feud.”
”Yes,” said Sir Morton, smiling, ”a good opportunity, boy; but we might lose the day.”
”We will not lose the day, father,” cried the lad hotly. ”Those men who fight for pay are cowards at heart, and they will lead the Edens to their destruction.”
”But suppose that, after all, the Darleys were the ones to blame?”
”Oh, father, we can't stop to think of that. We do know that they have committed outrage after outrage against our family, and you have always taught me that it was our duty to punish the Edens.”
”Yes, my boy, I have, as my father and my grandfather taught me; but I have often wished the wretched business were at an end. I want to be at peace.”
”And you shall be, father, and soon, too, now,” cried Ralph excitedly.
”But you will begin at once?”
”What, making peace?”
”No, father, war,” cried the lad eagerly.
”Yes,” said Sir Morton sternly, ”if the Edens do.”
”Oh, father, how calmly you take it all. I should have thought you would be ready to begin at once.”
”Yes, Ralph, because you are young, and have never seen what even the pettiest war means, not even the bright side, with its chivalry and panoply, and gay show. I have seen that, and the other side too.”
”But you would fight, father?” cried the lad, looking astonished.
”Yes,” said Sir Morton, with his face turning hard and stern, ”if the need arises, boy, and to the death.”
CHAPTER FOUR.