"I have a little matter of business with you, Gilbert," said Congreve.
"Business!" repeated Harry, looking from James Congreve, with his cool, deliberate manner, to the face of his companion, who was openly exultant. "I don't understand you."
"You'll understand better in five minutes," said Philip.
"I hope so, for I am quite in the dark now."
"The fact is, Gilbert," commenced Congreve, in the cool, deliberate tone habitual to him--for he seldom allowed himself to get excited--"my friend Philip, here, feels that you have treated him badly----"
"Outrageously!" interrupted Philip.
"Very well; let us say outrageously."
"In what way have I treated him outrageously?" demanded Harry, undauntedly.
"Plenty of times," answered Philip, excitedly. "Didn't you attack me in the berry pasture?"
"Yes, and you know why. You were abusing two young children."
"It was none of your business," said Philip, shortly.
"It will always be my business," said Harry, boldly, "when I see a large bully abusing two unoffending children."
"Quite a modern Don Quixote, upon my word," said Congreve, but not in the sneering tone Philip was accustomed to adopt.
He never sneered, and never showed excitement, but he was none the less dangerous on that account.
"Don Quixote was a gentleman, though a foolish one," returned Harry, who understood the allusion.
"That is where he had the advantage of you," observed Philip.
"A very neat hit, upon my word, Philip," said Congreve. "Really, you are improving."
Philip was flattered by this compliment, and looked as if he had quite overwhelmed Harry with his sarcasm.
"However," continued Congreve, "we had better proceed to business. Philip feels aggrieved, and he expects satisfaction."
"Are we to fight a duel?" thought Harry, who did not in the least comprehend what was coming.
"What sort of satisfaction?" he asked.
"You'll see!" said Philip, triumphantly.
Congreve, who was standing beside Harry, handed the ball of cord to Philip, saying:
"I will hold him, while you tie his hands and feet."
"What!" exclaimed Harry, starting.
"We propose to tie you hand and foot and leave you here," said Congreve, coolly. "It will subject you to some inconvenience, and you may have to remain here all night; but it will teach you not to interfere with my friend Philip again."
"Is that what you invited me to come out here for?" asked Harry.
"Yes."
"Pretending to need my services as a guide?"
"My dear fellow, there was no pretense about that. We selected this wood as well adapted for our purpose, and, as I was not familiar with the locality, I thought it best for all reasons to hire you to guide me."
"So I have walked into a trap, and lost my time in the bargain," said Harry, bitterly.
"Oh, no; you haven't lost your time. I agreed to pay you fifty cents, didn't I?"
"Yes."
"Well, here it is. I generally fulfil my contracts."
Congreve drew from his pocket two silver quarters, and handed them to Harry with a bow.
"That's right, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes," said Harry, mentally deciding that James Congreve was the queerest fellow he had ever met.
"Good! You can't complain of any violation of contract. Now, will you remain quiet while I tie you, or must we use force?"
"Wait a minute!" said Harry, deciding to try the effect of an appeal to Congreve, who appeared to have some sense of honor. "I think you don't understand what passed between Philip and myself. Let me explain."
"No, thank you. It would only be wasting your time," said Congreve, with a languid wave of his hand. "I quite understand that Philip here was playing the bully----"
"What! Do you mean to insult me?" asked Philip, hastily.
"Oh, no; I am only stating facts. Philip, then, was bullying two children, when you stepped in and knocked him down."
"I deny it!" said Philip, flushing.
"Then where's the injury you want satisfaction for?" asked Congreve.
"Do you take the part of a bully, then?" asked Harry, puzzled.
"Yes; for the bully happens to be my friend, and I stand by my friends, right or wrong. Accordingly, I propose to leave you here, tied hand and foot, for a few hours, or until you succeed in getting loose. It will be soothing to the feelings of my friend Philip, and will give you time to reflect upon your mistake in attacking the son of a rich man."
"But," urged Harry, "I might have to stay here all night!"
"Quite possible! Fortunately, however, there are no wild beasts prowling about in this forest, and you won't incur any danger."
"But my mother will be worried about me."
"I am sorry for that, but it won't be for long."
Harry started to run, feeling that he must avoid the fate that threatened him, if possible; but Congreve overtook him almost instantly, and, passing his lithe, strong arms around him, pinioned him so firmly that he could not escape. He was several inches taller than our hero, and, naturally, much stronger.
"Now, Philip," he said.
Philip advanced to tie Harry, but the latter, feeling that resistance was useless, turning to Congreve, said:
"If I must be tied, you may do it. I won't resist."
"Come, that's sensible," said Congreve, and proceeded to tie Harry hand and foot, as he had proposed.
When the task was completed he took him up and set him down in such a way that he could lean his back against a tree.
"That will do," he said. "If you don't get free before, I will come to-morrow morning and release you."
"I would like to give him a licking now!" growled Philip,
"That would be cowardly," said Congreve. "Come away and leave him."
Rather reluctantly, for he wanted to stay and triumph over his helpless rival, Philip followed his companion out of the wood.
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