white faces. Alice had pulled the squire away from Ralph and the aged
man finally had been subdued, that is two men had succeeded in keeping
him away from Ralph, but not until the young man had been considerably
injured. The squire was still sputtering and those who tried to quiet
him had a hard task of it. Every time they would let go his arms he
would throw them up with new energy, trying to get at Ralph again, until
at last it was found necessary to go to the constables' desk; get out
the only pair of handcuffs in Dalton, and put them on the wrists of the
obstreperous official.

This, of course, was great fun for the boys who had gathered about, and
who had more than one grudge against Squire Sanders. Many a time he had
chased them off the coasting hill, he had often spoiled a good day's
swimming, and as for apples--a boy never knew when he was safe to
"borrow" one from any orchard in Dalton.

But the tables were turned now--and the boys were glad of it. A taste of
his own medicine would do the aged man good, they declared.

Not being able to do more than shout and kick, Squire Sanders soon "gave
out" and fell back sullenly in a chair near a window. Ralph's head was
bleeding.

"Oh, we must get Ralph to the drug store," insisted Alice. "Perhaps Dr.
Gray will be there. He is hurt, I am sure," and she was almost in tears,
for indeed Ralph looked very much injured--his lip was cut, and girls
cannot well stand the sight of blood.

Ralph felt quite well able to walk, he declared, and assured the girls,
laughingly, that their case and his would now likely "come up" together