Uncle William took him into the shop, and they sat together on stools
in the "Counting House."
"I'm troubled, John," he said, "about the shop. Pippin's have offered
to buy the business!..."
"Buy the business. But we don't want to sell it!"
"I know that. They're threatening me. They say they'll undercut me till
my trade's gone. I'm too old to fight them!..."
John called to his mother and Eleanor. "Come here a minute," he said,
and when they had done so, he told them of Pippin's offer and threat.
"What do you think of that?" he demanded.
"I think we should fight them," said Eleanor.
"So we will," John replied. "The MacDermotts had a name in this town
before ever a Pippin was heard of, and the MacDermotts'll still have a
name when the Pippins are dead and damned!" He stopped suddenly, and
then began to laugh. "By the Hokey O," he exclaimed, "there's a romance
at the end of it all!"
He looked at his mother. "I'm going to carry on the shop, mother!" he
said.
She did not answer. She put out her hands to him, and he saw that she
was smiling with great content. And yet she was crying, too.