Jed was of good height for his age, and unusually thickset and strong. Though poorhouse fare was hardly calculated to give him strength, he had an intimate friend and school companion on a farm near by whose mother often gave him a substantial meal, so that he alone of the inmates of the poorhouse could afford to be comparatively indifferent to the mean table kept by the managers.
Jed was five feet six, and Simeon Fogson but two inches taller. Fogson, however, was not a well man. He was a dyspeptic, and frequently indulged in alcoholic drinks, which, as my young readers doubtless know, have a direct tendency to impair physical vigor.
"Get me the whip, Gloriana," said Mr. Fogson fiercely, addressing his wife by her rather uncommon first name. "I will see whether this young upstart is to rule you and me and the whole establishment."
"I don't care about ruling anybody except myself," said Jed.
"You can't rule yourself. I am put in authority over you."
"Who put you in authority over me?" asked Jed defiantly.
"The town."
"And did the town give you leave to rob me? Answer me that!"
"Did you ever hear the like?" exclaimed Mrs. Fogson, raising her arms in almost incredulous surprise.
By this time Mr. Fogson had the whip in his hand, and with an air of enjoyment drew the lash through his fingers.
"Take off your coat!" he said.
"I would rather keep it on," replied Jed undauntedly.
"It won't do you any good. I shall strike hard enough for you to feel it even if you had two coats on."
"You'd better not!" said Jed, eyeing Mr. Fogson warily.
"Are you going to stand the boy's impudence, Simeon?" demanded his wife sharply.
"No, I'm not;" and Simeon Fogson, flourishing the whip, brought it down on Jed's shoulders and back.
Then something happened which took the poorhouse superintendent by surprise. Jed sprang toward him, and, grasping the whip with energy, tore it from his grasp, and with angry and inflamed face confronted his persecutor. Mr. Fogson turned pale, and looked undecided what to do.
"Shall I hold him, Simeon?" asked his wife venomously.
"No; I'm a match for a half-grown boy like him," returned Fogson, ashamed to ask for help in so unequal a contest.
He sprang forward and grabbed Jed, who accepted the gage of battle and clinched with his adversary. A moment afterward they were rolling on the floor, first one being uppermost, then the other.
CHAPTER V.
JED SECURES AN ALLY
It was trying to Mrs. Fogson to see her husband apparently getting the worst of it from "that young viper," as she mentally apostrophized Jed, and she longed to take a part, notwithstanding her husband's refusal to accept her assistance.
A bright but malicious idea struck her. She seized a tin dipper and filled it half full from the tea-kettle, the water in which was almost scalding. Then she seized an opportunity to empty it over Jed. But unfortunately for the success of her amiable plan, by the time she was ready to pour it out it was Mr. Fogson who was exposed, and he received the whole of the water on his neck and shoulder.
"Help! Help! Murder!" he shrieked in anguish. "You have scalded me, you—you she cat!"
As he spoke he released his hold on Jed, who sprang to his feet and stood watching for the next movement of the enemy.
"Did I scald you, Simeon?" asked Mrs. Fogson in dismay.
"Yes; I am almost dead. Get some flour and sweet oil—quick!"
"I didn't mean to," said his wife repentantly. "I meant it for that boy."
"You're an idiot!" roared Fogson, stamping his foot. "Go and get the oil—quick!"
Mrs. Fogson, much frightened, hurried to obey orders, and the next fifteen minutes were spent in allaying the anguish of her lord and master, who made it very unpleasant for her by his bitter complaints and upbraidings.
"I think I'd better get out of this," thought Jed. "The old woman will be trying to scald me next."
He disappeared through the side door, leaving the amiable couple busily but not pleasantly employed.
He had scarcely left the house when Dr. Redmond drove up, his errand being to see one of the inmates of the poorhouse.
"How are you, Jed?" he said pleasantly. "My wife tells me you did her a great service to-day?"
"I was glad to do it, doctor," said Jed.
"Here's a dollar. I am sure you can use it."
"But, doctor, Mrs. Redmond gave me a dollar."
"Never mind! You can use both."
"Thank you," said Jed. "You'd better go right in, doctor; Mrs. Fogson has just scalded her husband, and he is in great pain."
"How did it happen?" asked the doctor in amazement.
"Go in and they'll tell you," said Jed. "I'll see you afterwards and tell you whether their story is correct."
When Mr. and Mrs. Fogson saw the doctor enter they were overjoyed.
"Oh, Dr. Redmond," groaned Fogson, "do something to relieve me quick. I'm in terrible pain."
"What's the matter?" asked Dr. Redmond.
"I am scalded."
"How did it happen?"
"She did it!" said Fogson, pointing scornfully to Mrs. Fogson.
Dr. Redmond set himself at once to relieve the suffering one, making use of the remedies that Fogson himself had suggested to his wife. When the patient was more comfortable he turned gravely to Mrs. Fogson and asked: "Will you explain how your husband got scalded?"
"The woman poured hot water on me," interrupted Fogson with an ugly scowl. "It would serve her right if I treated her in the same manner."
"You don't mean that she did it on purpose, Mr. Fogson?" exclaimed the doctor.
"Of course I didn't," retorted Mrs. Fogson indignantly. "I meant it for Jed."
"You meant to scald Jed?" said the doctor sternly.
"Yes; he assaulted my husband, and I feared he would kill him. It was all the way I could help."
"Mrs. Fogson, I can hardly believe you would be guilty of such an atrocious act even on your own confession, nor can I believe that Jed would assault your husband without good cause."
"It is true, whether you believe it or not," said Mrs. Fogson sullenly.
Dr. Redmond's answer was to open the outer door and call "Jed!"
Jed entered at once, and stood in the presence of his persecutors, calm and undisturbed.
"Jed," said the doctor, "Mrs. Fogson admits that she scalded her husband in trying to scald you, and urges, in defense, that you assaulted Mr. Fogson. What do you say to this?"
"That Mr. Fogson struck me over the shoulder with a horsewhip, and that I pulled it away from him. Upon this he sprang at me, and in self-defense I grappled with him, and while we were rolling over the floor Mrs. Fogson poured a dipper of hot water over her husband, meaning it for me."
"Is this true, Mr. Fogson?" asked the doctor.
"Yes, it's about so. Mrs. Fogson acted like an idiot."
"If she had scalded Jed instead of you, would you say the same thing?"
"Well, of course that would have been different."
"I can see no difference," said Dr. Redmond sternly. "It was not an idiotic, but a brutal and inhuman act."
"Come, doctor, that's rather strong," protested Fogson uncomfortably.
"It is not too strong! I don't think there is a person in the village but would agree with me. Had the victim of the