“My good uncle,” replied Philip, “be content.  This night I have turned patriot, raised a rabble of boys, and pelted down the fool’s cap which old Gessler had stuck up in the market-place of Altdorf, for Switzers to pay homage to.  Is not that a glorious deed!”

“It is of a piece with the rest of your folly.  Were you called upon to pay homage to the cap?”

“By no means, uncle, else must I perforce have made my obeisance to the empty bonnet of the Emperor-Duke of Austria.  But this exploit of mine was after dark, when one boy could not be distinguished from another; and there were fully fifty of us engaged in pelting at the mock majesty till down it came, feathers and all, souse into the mud.  Then, oh stars! how we all ran!  But it was my stone that hit it, take notice:  ha! ha! ha!”

“Your head must be as devoid of brains as the empty cap you pelted, Philip, or you never would have engaged in any such adventure.”

“How, uncle!” cried Philip in amaze; “would you have me pay homage to the ducal bonnet without a head in it?”

“It seems you were not required to do so, Philip; therefore you had no pretext for raising a riot to break the peace.”

“But, uncle, do you intend to yield obedience to the governor’s tyrannous edict?”

“Philip,” replied Tell, “I am a man, and of age to form a correct judgment of the things which it may be expedient to do or proper to refuse.  But it is not meet for idle boys to breed riots and commit acts of open violence, calculated to plunge a whole country into confusion.”

Philip withdrew with an air of great mortification and the family soon after retired to rest.

The next day William Tell took his thoughtless nephew with him, on a hunting excursion, since it was necessary he should find some better occupation than throwing stones.  After several days they returned, loaded with the skins of the chamois that had been slain by the unerring arrow of Tell.

His wife and children hastened to the cottage door to welcome him, when they beheld him coming.  “Behold, my beloved,” said Tell, “how well I have sped in the chase!  These skins will bring in a mine of wealth against the winter season.  To-morrow is Altdorf fair and I shall go thither to sell them.”

“Hurrah!” shouted Philip.  “Is Altdorf fair to-morrow?  Oh, my faith, I had forgotten it.  Well, I shall go thither, and have some fun.”

“And I mean to go too, cousin Philip,” said Henric.

“Not so fast, young men,” cried Tell.  “Altdorf fair will be full of soldiers and turbulent people, and is not a proper place for rash boys and children.”

“But you will take care of us, father, dear father,” said Henric, stroking his father’s arm caressingly.

“I shall have enough to do to take care of myself, Henric,” replied Tell.  “So you must be a good boy, and stay with your mother.”

“But I won’t be a good boy, if you leave me at home,” muttered the little rebel.