"And yet you ask me to wait," said the squire indignantly. "Once for all, let me tell you that all entreaties are vain. My mind is made up to foreclose, and foreclose I will."

"Don't be too sure of that," interrupted Frank, with a triumphant smile.

"Ha, young impudence!" exclaimed the squire, wheeling round. "Who's to prevent me, I should like to know?"

The squire fingered his cane nervously. He was very strongly tempted to lay it on our hero's back. But he reflected that the power was in his hands, and that he was sure of his revenge.

"You won't gain anything by your impudence," he said loftily. "I might have got you a place, out of pity to your mother, if you had behaved differently. I need a boy to do odd jobs about the house, and I might have offered the place to you."

"Thank you for your kind intentions," said Frank, "but I fear the care of this farm will prevent my accepting your tempting offer."

"The care of the farm!" repeated the squire angrily. "Do you think I will delegate it to you?"

"I don't see what you have to do about it," said Frank.