"Ah, that remains to be seen," said Glyn. "That'll be years to come, and who knows what will happen before then?"

"I don't care what happens," cried Singh hotly. "He's coming back to India when I go. Why, he told me himself that my father made him my guardian, and that he promised to look after me as long as he lived. He said he promised to be a father to me. It was that day when I got into a pa.s.sion about something, and made him so cross. But I was very sorry afterwards," said the boy quietly, "he's such a good old fellow, and made me like him as much as I did my own father."

"Well," said Glyn merrily, "you have always had your share of him. It has made me feel quite jealous sometimes."

"Jealous! Why?" said Singh wonderingly.

"Because he seemed to like you better than he did me."

"What a shame!" cried Singh. "Oh, I say, you don't mean that, do you, Glyn, old chap? Why, you don't know how fond he is of you."

"Don't I?"

"No; you should hear what he says about you sometimes."

"Says about me? What does he say about me?"

"Oh, perhaps I oughtn't to tell you," said Singh, showing his white teeth.

"Yes, do, there's a good fellow," cried Glyn, catching the other by the arm.

"Well, he said he should be proud to see me grow up such a boy as you are, and that my father wished me to take you for an example, for he wanted me to become thoroughly English--oh, and a lot more like that."

Glyn Severn was silent, and soon after, as the two boys turned, they saw a group of their schoolfellows coming down the field laden with bats and stumps, while one carried a couple of iron-shod stakes round which was rolled a stout piece of netting.

"Here," said Glyn suddenly, "let's go round the other side of the field.

Old Slegge's along with them, and he'll be getting up a quarrel again.

I don't want to fight; but if he keeps on aggravating like he did this morning I suppose I shall have to."

"But if we go now," said Singh, "it will look as if we are frightened.

We seemed to run away before, only you made me come."

"Oh, it doesn't matter what seems," cried Severn irritably. "We know we are not frightened, and that's enough. Come on."

The two boys began to move slowly away; but they had not gone far before Slegge shouted after them, "Hi, you, sirs! I want you to come and field."

"Then want will be your master," said Severn between his teeth.--"Come on, Singh. Don't look round. Let's pretend we can't hear."

They walked steadily on for a few paces, Severn making-believe to be talking earnestly to his companion, when:

"Do you hear, there, you, sirs? Come here directly. I want you to field!"

"I dare say you do; cheeky great bully!" said Glyn softly. "I shan't come and field for you. The Doctor did not give us a holiday to-day to come and be your slaves."

"Hi, there! Are you coming, or am I to come and fetch you?" shouted Slegge, without any effect, and the big lad turned to Burney and gave him an order. The next minute the boy, armed with a stump, came running at full speed across the gra.s.s, shouting to the two companions to stop, but without their paying the slightest heed or increasing their pace.

The consequence was that the lad soon overtook them, to cry, rather out of breath, "Did you hear the captain call to you to come and field?"

Singh glanced at Glyn, who gave him a sharp look as he replied, "Yes, I heard him quite plainly."

The messenger stared with open eyes and mouth, as if it was beyond his comprehension.

"Then, why don't you come?" he cried.

"Because we are going up to the house," replied Glyn coolly, "to our dormitory."

"That you are not," cried Burney. "The rules say that the fellows are not to go up to their rooms between hours, and you have been here long enough to know that. Now then, no nonsense. Here, you, Singh, you've got to come and field while old Slegge practises batting, and Tompkins has got to bowl."

As the boy spoke in an unpleasant dictatorial way he made a thrust at Singh with the pointed stump he held; but quick as thought and before it was driven home, this third-part of a wicket was wrenched from his hand by Severn and sent flying through the air.

"How dare you!" shouted Burney, and he made a rush at Glyn to collar him and make him prisoner; but before he could reach the offending lad a foot was thrust out by Singh, over which he tripped and fell sprawling upon his face.

"Oh!" he shouted, half-beside himself with rage; and, scrambling up, he made a rush with clenched fists at the two boys, who now stood perfectly still awaiting his onslaught.

It was a thoroughly angry charge, but not a charge home; for Burney stopped some three or four yards short of the distance, with his rage evaporating fast and beginning to feel quite discreet.

For quite a minute the opponents stood gazing fiercely, and then what had threatened to become a cuffing encounter became verbal.

"Look here," cried Burney, "you two will get it for this. What am I to say to the captain?"

"Tell him to bowl for himself," said Singh sharply.

"Here! Hi! Burney, bring 'em along!" came from across the field and from between Slegge's hands. "Tell these beggars they had better not keep me waiting much longer!"

"All right!" shouted back Burney; and then to the two lads, "There, you hear. Come on at once, and as you are new chaps I won't tell on you.

You had better come, or he'll pay you out by keeping you on bowling so that you can't go and see the show."

"Yes," said Glyn quietly. "Go back and tell him what Singh said."

"What!" cried Burney, staring with wonder. "Tell the captain he's to bowl for himself?"

"Yes," said Glyn coolly, "as long as he likes.--Come along, Singh;" and, throwing his arm over his Indian companion's shoulder, the two lads fell into military step and marched slowly towards the Doctor's mansion-like house.

"I am afraid it means a fight, Singh," said Glyn quietly. "Well, I dare say we can get over it. I am not going to knuckle down to that fellow.

Are you?"

"Am I?" cried the boy, flashing a fierce look at his English companion.

"What do you think?"

Glyn laughed softly and merrily.

"Shall I tell you?" he said.

"Yes, of course," cried the Indian boy hotly.

"Well, I think you will."

"What!"