And now the wind of favour began to change, so that in the next round boys shouted encouragement to Mercer.

"Hold that row!" cried Burr savagely; "do you want the Doctor to hear?

Now, d.i.c.ksee, give it him this time."

I must do the fat fellow the credit of saying that he now came on fiercely, swinging his arms wildly, and striking out with all his might, but not one blow took effect, and I had the satisfaction of seeing the triumph of Lomax's instructions, gaining confidence all the while, as Tom delivered a blow here and a blow there, and then one which sent his antagonist down to b.u.mp his head upon the boards.

There was quite a little burst of cheers now.

"Will you stop that row!" cried Burr fiercely. "Silence! You, d.i.c.ksee," he whispered, as he helped his princ.i.p.al up, "if you don't go in and lick him, I'll lick you."

"Tom," I was whispering, "you're sure to win."

"Am I?" he said stolidly; "but I don't like knocking him about--he can't fight at all."

"Serve him right; he'll remember it in future. Now then. Ready!"

The pair were facing each other again, and the encounter which followed was a little longer, but it ended in Mercer giving his adversary a sharp blow on the cheek, and directly after another on the nose, and d.i.c.ksee again seemed to sit down suddenly as if to wipe it, a duty which had certainly become necessary.

"Silence!" cried Burr major, as a burst of cheers followed this last round, for it was seen that the fat lad did not intend to get up again.

"d.i.c.ksee isn't well to-day; I believe old Jollop has given him something." Then in a whisper, as he half-dragged his princ.i.p.al back, "You beggar!" he said; "I'll serve you out for this."

"Hooray!" cried a small boy at the window; "old Senna has licked--"

"Will you mind and watch that window," cried Burr. "It's all right, boys; I shall have to dress Jollop down as soon as I've done the groom.

Here, Hodson, you must second me."

"Oh, Tom," I whispered, with my heart beating, "I wish I could fight like you!"

"So you can," he replied; "better. Look out, he's ready. Take it coolly; never mind his show. I wish I was going at him instead of you.

I'm nice and warm now."

"I wish you were," I said.

"No, you don't."

The next minute I was facing my tall adversary, who looked down at me contemptuously, after a smiling glance round at the boys, which seemed to say,--"Now you shall see."

There was a faint cheer at this, followed by a smothered howl, which drew attention to d.i.c.ksee, who was now rocking himself to and fro as if in pain.

Then there was what seemed to me a peculiarly ominous kind of silence, and I felt shocked and frightened, not so much of my adversary as at myself. The feeling was mingled with shame, for I began to think that I must be a terrible coward, and I found myself wondering what my uncle would say if he knew how unfit I was to be trained to become a soldier.

These thoughts were momentary, long as they take to describe, and I began to wonder whether it would be best to apologise to Burr major, and ask him to let me off, but as I thought that, I felt that I could not, and that I would sooner he half killed me. This brought up thoughts of my mother's sweet, gentle face, and how she would suffer if she knew what was going on.

Lastly, I began to think I must fight, and that I had better prepare to take care of myself, for Burr major deliberately threw himself into a graceful att.i.tude and addressed me.

"Now, you young sniveller," he said haughtily, "you have brought this on yourself. I am going to give you a lesson that will teach you to behave yourself in future, and you too, Senna Tea. You're fond of physic; you shall have such a dose. Mind, you boys, that old Jollop doesn't sneak off."

"All right!" rose in chorus; "he shan't go."

"Mind he don't lick you, Eely," cried one of the boys at the window.

"Mind Tommy Wilson don't sneak off either," said Burr major. "All right, Tommy, I can't fight you, but I can stretch those ugly great ears for you."

"Ow how! ow how!" cried the little fellow, sparring a peculiar yelling noise, but indulging in a broad grin to his nearest companion. "Oh, my poor ears! I say, Burr junior, you lick him, and then you can take care of me."

I did not speak, for my antagonist had begun sparring at me, making feints and trying to throw me off my guard, but, as if by instinct now, I dropped into the positions and practice Mercer and I had been learning so long, and, as I thought, without avail; but I did begin to find out that it had been good advice to stand on my guard and to let my adversary show-off and tire himself.

I felt very cool, and not so much alarmed now, when the first blow came, intended for my lips, but which I easily stopped, and so I did another and another, the round ending by Burr major making a fierce dash at me, over-reaching himself, and going down without my having delivered one blow.

"How slippery these boards are!" said Burr, jumping up.

"That's right!" whispered Mercer; "keep on as quiet as that, and wait your time."

Then we began again, and I felt very much disinclined to hit out hard, as I felt that I could have done, for fear of hurting my antagonist--for the feeling of animosity and the memory of the insults, blows, and annoyance from which I had suffered had faded away. But all at once, as we stood eyeing each other, Burr's fist came sharply in contact with my lips, there was a dull pain, a sensation of a tooth being loosened, a nasty faint salt taste in my mouth, followed by a short struggle, and I was thrown heavily.

Burr major walked back and sat down on his second's knee, smiling round at the cheering boys, who began to crowd round him, while, as I rose, feeling painful throbbings in one elbow and arm, I was drawn down on Mercer's knee, and he whispered,--

"Never mind. Don't get excited over it. Be quite cool. Now then, he's ready again."

So was I, for there was a buzzing in my temples and a hot feeling in my throat as I once more stood up before my adversary, who was still smiling contemptuously as he began sparring and then dashed forward, but stopped suddenly, and stood back, shaking his head, while I tightened my hand and saw the blood start from one of my knuckles.

"Go on, Burr. Give it him. He's nearly done. Go on, go on!" was chorused on all sides; and, looking very vicious now, Burr came at me with his fists wide apart, and then he rushed at me as if he meant mischief, but to his great surprise as much as to mine, he seemed to run his nose right on to my left fist, and dropped down on the floor.

He was up again, though, directly, amid a buzz of excitement, and I felt that now he was going to avenge himself thoroughly, but, as I struck out with my left exactly as Lomax had instructed me, somehow Burr major went down again.

It almost puzzled me. I could hardly believe it, but it was forced upon me, and the blows which I seemed to deliver at the right time in the most effortless of ways, had a terrible effect, my antagonist going down three times to my once.

And now some of the tide began to set in my direction--the tide of popularity. First of all, little Wilson took heart and gave me a cheer, then he began to grow excited, and to cry in an eager whisper,--

"Well done, Burr junior! Hooray! That's it. Give it him. Hooray!

down again."

Burr major got up, looking fierce as well as confused, and sat panting on his second's knee; and as I sat on mine, Tom Mercer gave me a hug.

"Splendid!" he whispered. "Hooray for old Lom! You'll beat him if you keep quiet. You boys, hold that row."

There was a hush directly, and we two faced each other once more.

The confident contempt for me had gone now, and there was no laughing looking round at the boys for their approval, but, pale, excited, and with marks beginning to show in an ugly way, Burr major seemed to be prepared to do his best to crush me by a fierce attack.

For my part, I had been so much hurt that it was as if the shrinking was all knocked out of me, and I was no less eager to begin than he. But we stood facing each other now, with the hum of excitement that greeted our coming forward hushed once more to silence.

I could feel that I might now commence the attack, but my master's lessons all came clear and vivid before me, and knowing that, as the weaker, it was my duty to act on the defensive, I waited, while we watched each other cautiously, my adversary evidently expecting that I should begin.

But, as I did not, he attacked again, and, though I managed to give him several telling blows, he closed with me before I could avoid him, and in the tussle which followed I went down heavily, my head coming in violent contact with the floor.

Everything pa.s.sed away then for a few moments except sparks dancing before my eyes, but I was conscious directly of Mercer's voice, as he whispered to me excitedly,--