"No, he didn't, sir," cried Singh, with his eyes twinkling. "He wouldn't fight even then."

"Humph!" grunted the Colonel. "And what then?"

"Well, it put me in such a rage, sir, that I couldn't bear it, and I went and hit the big fellow right in the face, and he hit me again."

"Ah, you needn't tell me that," replied the Colonel; "that's plain enough. Well, what after?"

"Well, that made Glyn take my part, and he swung me behind him; and oh, sir, he did give the big fellow such an awful thrashing!"

"Ha!" said the Colonel, taking his great grey moustache by both hands and drawing it out horizontally. "A thorough thrashing, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"And what were you doing?"

"Oh, I was seconding him, sir."

"Oh, that was right. You were not both on him at once?"

"Oh no, sir; it was all fair."

"Then Glyn thoroughly whipped him, eh?"

"Yes, sir, thoroughly."

The Colonel turned to his son, and looked him over again; and then, after another two-handed tug at his moustache, he said slowly:

"I say, Glyn, old chap, you got it rather warmly. But tut, tut, tut, tut! This won't do. What did that old chap say: `Let dogs delight to bark and bite'? Here, I have been talking to the Doctor, and the Doctor has been talking to me. Look here, you, Singh, military fighting, after proper discipline, and done by fighting men, is one thing; schoolboy fighting is quite another, not for gentlemen. It's low and blackguardly.--Do you hear, Glyn?" he cried turning on his son.

"Blackguardly, sir--blackguardly. Look at your faces, sir, and see how you have got yourselves marked. But er--er--"

He picked his pocket-handkerchief up from where he had spread it over his knees and blew another blast. "This er--this er--big fellow that you thrashed--big disagreeable fellow--bit of a bully, eh?"

"Regular tyrant, father. We hadn't been here a month, before not a day pa.s.sed without his insulting Singh or making us uncomfortable."

"Ha! insulted Singh, did he?"

"Yes, sir," cried that individual through his set teeth. "He was always calling me n.i.g.g.e.r, and mocking at me in some way."

"Humph! Brute! And so, after putting up with a good deal, and obeying my orders till he couldn't stand it any longer, Glyn took your part and thrashed the fellow, eh?"

"Yes, sir, bravely," cried Singh, with his eyes flashing. "I wish you'd been there to see."

"I wish--"

The Colonel stopped short. "No, no. Tut, tut! Nonsense! I did not want to see. Here, hold out your hands, Glyn. No, no, not like that.

Double your fists. Hold them out straight. I want to look at your knuckles. Dreadful! Nice state for a gentleman's hands. Fighting's bad.--Do you hear, Singh? Very bad. But I must confess that I didn't get through school without a turn-up or two myself. Glyn took your part, then, and thrashed the fellow. Well, he won't bully either of you again. Yes, I got into my sc.r.a.pes when I was a boy; but you know times were different then. Everything was rougher. This sort of thing won't do. You must be more of gentlemen now--more polished. Fighting's bad."

"But you let the sergeant, father, teach us how to use the gloves after you had got them over from England."

"Eh? What, sir--what sir?" cried the Colonel sharply. "Well, yes, I did. It was a bit of a lapse, though, and every man makes mistakes.

But that, you see, was part of my old education, and through being in India so many years and away from modern civilisation, and er--Of course, I remember; it was after your poor father had been talking to me, Singh, and telling me that he looked to me to make you a thorough English gentleman, one fit to occupy his throne some day, and rule well over his people--firmly, justly, and strongly, as an Englishman would.

And, of course, I thought it would be right for you both to know how to use your fists if you were unarmed and attacked by ruffians. And--er, well, well, you see I was not quite wrong. Mind, you know, I detest fighting, and only this morning I have been quite agreeing with the Doctor--fine old gentlemanly fellow, by the way, and a great scholar-- agreeing with him, I say, that this fighting is rather a disgrace. At the same time, my boys, as I was about to say, I was not quite wrong about those gloves. You see, it enabled Glyn here to bring skill to bear against a bigger and a stronger man, and er--um--you see, there are other kinds of fighting that a man will have to go through in life; and then when such things do happen, mind this--I mean it metaphorically, you know--when you do have to fight with your fists, or with your tongue, thrash your adversary if you can; but if he from superior skill or strength thrashes you, why then, take it like a man, shake hands, and bear no malice against the one who wins."

The Colonel blew his nose again.

"That's not quite what I wanted to say, my boys; but I shall think this affair over a bit, and perhaps I shall have a few more words to say by-and-by."

"Oh, I say, dad--" cried Glyn.

"What do you mean by that, sir?" said the Colonel sharply.

"Finish it all now, and don't bring it up again."

"Glyn!" cried the Colonel sternly.

"Yes, father."

"Don't you dictate to me, sir. I promised the Doctor that I would talk to you both severely about this--this--well, piece of blackguardism, ungentlemanly conduct, and I must keep my word. But I will reserve the rest till after dinner."

"After dinner, father?" cried Glyn eagerly.

"Yes. I have come down to stay at Plymborough for a few days at the hotel, and I have told them there that I should have two gentlemen to dine with me to-night, of course, if the Doctor gives his consent."

"Oh, but look at us, sir!" cried Singh. "We are in the infirmary, and not fit to come."

"Infirmary!" said the Colonel scornfully. "Ha, ha! You look infirm both of you!"

"Oh, we don't feel much the matter, father," said Glyn; "but look at us."

"Look at you, sir? How can I help looking at you? Yes, you do look nice objects."

"But we can't help it now, sir," said Singh, "and we should like to come."

"Humph! Yes, of course you'd like to come, my boy, and I want to have you both to finish my lecture after I have thought it out a little more.

Well, look here, my lads; you are both bruised and--er--a bit discoloured; but the world isn't obliged to know that it was done with fists. You might have been thrown off your horses or been upset in a carriage accident. Oh yes, it's no business of anybody else's. I shall ask the Doctor to let you come."

"Oh, thank you, father!" cried Glyn eagerly. "But I say, dad, you didn't shake hands with Singh when we came in."

"Well, no, boy; but--there, there, that's all right now. You see I had to listen to what the Doctor said. Why, he tells me that you fellows showed them all down here how to deal with a rowdy elephant."

"Singh did, father."

"Well done, boy! You see, that's one great advantage in learning.

Nearly everything comes useful some time or other, and--There, let me see," he continued, referring to his watch. "I must be off. Visit too long as it is. Ring the bell, one of you. I want to see the Doctor again before I go."

"And you will get us leave, sir?" cried Singh, as he returned from pulling at the bell.

"Oh yes, I'll manage that. Seven o'clock, boys, military time; and now you both be off; but mind this, I am going to finish my lecture after dinner, for I am not satisfied with what I said. There, right about face! March!"