Tom jumped down to
meet him.
"Say that again in English, will you?" said Gard angrily.
"Go to--!" said Tom.
Then Gard's left fist caught him on the hinge of the right jaw, and he
reeled back among the others who had jumped down to back him up.
"Well--? Want any more?" asked Gard stormily.
"You wait," growled Tom, nursing his jaw, "I'll talk to you one of these
days."
"Whenever you like, you cur. What you need is a sound thrashing and a
kick over the Coupee."
To his surprise none of the others joined in. But he did not know them.
They might guffaw at Tom's unseemly pleasantries, but they held him in
no high esteem--either for himself or for his position, since word of
the sale of La Closerie had got about.
Then they were a hardy crew and held personal courage and prowess in
high respect. And in this matter there could be no possible doubt as to
where the credit lay.
"Goin' to fight him, Tom?" drawled one, in the patois.
"---- him!" growled Tom, but made no move that way.
And Gard turned and went over to Nance and Bernel, who were sheltering
from the storm in lee of one of the cottages.
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