I could hear him breathing hard and grunting, as in doubt and discontent, for he stood within a yard of me, and I kept my right fist ready for him, if he should discover me.

Then at the foot of the waterslide, my black hat suddenly appeared, tossing in white foam, and fluttering like a raven wounded.

Now I had doubted which hat to take, when I left home that day; till I thought that the black became me best, and might seem kinder to Lorna.
'Have I killed thee, old bird, at last ?' my enemy cried in triumph; ''tis the third time I have shot at thee, and thou wast beginning to mock me.

No more of thy cursed croaking now, to wake me in the morning.
Ha, ha! there are not many who get three chances from Carver Doone; and none ever go beyond it.' I laughed within myself at this, as he strode away in his triumph; for was not this his third chance of me, and he no whit the wiser?
And then I thought that perhaps the chance might some day be on the other side.
For to tell the truth, I was heartily tired of lurking and playing bo-peep so long; to which nothing could have reconciled me, except my fear for Lorna.

And here I saw was a man of strength fit for me to encounter, such as I had never met, but would be glad to meet with; having found no man of late who needed not my mercy at wrestling, or at single-stick.