younger than himself. Thus, he would have probably chosen some other
way of taking his vengeance; but it happened that, just as he arrived
home, he met his tutor coming out. The latter was astounded at
Richard's appearance. His eyes were already puffed so much that he
could scarcely see out of them, his lips were cut and swollen, his
shirt stained with blood, his clothes drenched and plastered with red
mud.

"Why, what on earth has happened, Richard?"

Richard had already determined upon his version of the story.

"A brute of a boy knocked me down into the water," he said, "and then
knocked me about till he almost killed me."

"But what made him assault you in this outrageous manner?" his tutor
asked. "Surely all the boys about here must know you by sight; and how
one of them would dare to strike you I cannot conceive."

"I know the fellow," Richard said angrily. "He is the son of that
doctor fellow who died two years ago."

"But what made him do it?" the tutor repeated.

"He was sailing his boat, and it got stuck, and he threw in some stones
to get it off; and I helped him, and I happened to hit the mast of his
beastly boat, and then he flew at me like a tiger, and that's all."

"Well, it seems to be a monstrous assault, Richard, and you must speak
to the squire about it."