Tinker knew the ground, ran for a post and rails which filled a gap, and skipped over them a few yards ahead of his energetic playfellow, who stood gazing after him with a rueful vindictiveness.

Alloway came rushing up, and took no heed of the disappointed ram, who butted his right leg against the rails with great promptitude and violence.

Alloway emulated his violence not only in his language, but by cutting him as hard as he could with the whip he carried, and rushed on after Tinker.

Tinker could run at an admirable pace for a boy of eleven, and he was used to keeping it up longer than the rustic wind would last.

But Alloway was brisker than a farm hand, or a keeper, and at the end of a couple of fields he began to gain.
Tinker was soon aware of the painful fact, and knew that retribution was on him.