It seemed a harder business to untie the knots than to tie them, but at
length it was done, and the unwinding process began. Alas! Farmer
Green's nap was over, and with a hasty start he was roused to the full
use of his faculties. When he discovered his condition he swore a round
oath, and turned upon Teddy in great wrath, as he vainly tried to
extricate himself.

'Please, sir,' said Teddy, nothing daunted, 'if you keep still, I shall
undo you very soon, and I won't break your line if I can help it.'

'You young scoundrel! how dare you show your face, after such an
audacious piece of impudence! You're the plague of the parish, and a good
thrashing is what you will get, sure as my name's Jonathan Green!'

Teddy's face was hot and red, and the spectacle of him trying to unwind
the line from the struggling and exasperated farmer was so irresistibly
comic to Nancy that she burst out laughing.

Jonathan Green was soon on his feet again, and seizing hold of Teddy by
the collar, shook him like a terrier would shake a rat; then, without
leaving go of him, he pulled out a piece of cord from his coat pocket.
'Now, I'll teach you a lesson, youngster, that you won't forget. It's
lucky I've got this bit o' rope.'

And in another few minutes he had bound the boy securely to the tree,
tying his hands together with his handkerchief; then, as Nancy stepped
forward, indignant at this severe treatment, he turned upon her.

'There are two of you, are there? Well, you shall share the same fate
till I think fit to release you. I'll teach you to stop playing such