Page 108 - Fairbrass

a silver-mounted, slender little cane, who

set much store on a faded silk tassel that
was attached to it.

They all had some story to tell of their
master, these sticks, and of the many and

widely different places they had been to with
him. But their chatter woke up Pax, and

he angrily bade them to be quiet.
‘ And if you're not,1 he said, ‘ the next

time one of you is thrown into the water for
me to fetch out, I’ll either give you such

a biting that you’ll be disfigured for life, or
I ’ll lose you, and let you drift down the

river into the sea. So there, now 1 1
‘ I should like to beat you ! ’ said the

ash-plant.
* I know you would* you'd all like to do

it,1 said Pax ; ‘ but you never will as long
as we belong to the same master.h

The sticks knew this was so true that
they were at once discreetly silent*
‘ Then, my grandfather was never cruel

to you, Pax ? N said Fairbrass.

c Certainly not,’ said Pax. ( H e’s got a