Kick him out of the play-ground! Knock down the
scoundrel; or bind him, and let him lie in peace."
"By no means," cried George. "It is evident he wants nothing
else. Pray do not humour him so much as to touch him with either
foot or finger." Then, turning to a friend, he said in a whisper:
"Speak to him, Gordon; he surely will not refuse to let us have
the ground to ourselves, if you request it of him."
Gordon went up to him, and requested of him, civilly, but
ardently, "to retire to a certain distance, else none of them could
or would be answerable, however sore he might be hurt."
He turned disdainfully on his heel, uttered a kind of pulpit hem!
and then added, "I will take my chance of that; hurt me, any of
you, at your peril."
The young gentlemen smiled, through spite and disdain of the
dogged animal. Gordon followed him up, and tried to remonstrate
with him; but he let him know that "it was his pleasure to be there
at that time; and, unless he could demonstrate to him what
superior right he and his party had to that ground, in preference to
him, and to the exclusion of all others, he was determined to
assert his right, and the rights of his fellow-citizens, by keeping
possession of whatsoever part of that common field he chose.
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