Chapter 18

________________________________________________
_ CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

I had not been standing in the field many minutes, shut in by the hedge, and trying to rouse myself to go, before I heard a familiar voice calling me, and I answered with a feeling of relief, for anything was better than that sensation of shrinking expectancy, and, drawing a deep breath, I prepared myself for the plunge.

"Oh, here you are!" cried Mercer, running up to me excitedly. "I say, here's a go! You've got to come up into the loft directly."

"The loft!" I said, feeling that here was something fresh. "What for?"

"Eely wants us. He sent Dicksee to me to say that we were to go to him directly."

"Do you know what for?" I said huskily.

"Yes, Dicksee told me. He said he was going to punch our heads for being cheeky. But I say, Frank, we're not obliged to go, are we?"

I was silent for a few moments, and then said, with an effort,--

"Yes, I suppose we must."

"But he isn't everybody."

"If we don't go, they'll come and fetch us."

"But you're not going to let him punch your head, are you?"

"I suppose so," I said dismally, for my anger had faded away, and I was quite cool.

"But I'm sick of being knocked about."

"So am I."

"Then don't let's have it. The time isn't anything like ripe, I know, and I don't believe a bit in being able to fight, but--"

"But what?" I said, after a pause.

"I don't know. I hate fighting."

"So do I, Tom," I said dismally. "I wish they'd leave us alone."

"I wish they only would."

"But why does Burr major want us to go into the loft? Why couldn't he come here?"

"Because he thinks he can lick us quietly up there, with only a few of his chaps with him, and two to be scouts. Oh dear me, school ain't nice!"

"Come on, Tom," I said, "and let's get it over."

"What? do you mean to go?"

"Yes," I said gloomily, "I suppose so."

"And do you mean to fight?"

"If I'm obliged. You may just as well have a few cracks at him as take it all for nothing. You'll come?"

"Oh, all right, but we shall get an awful licking," said Tom huskily. "I can't fight a bit. It's all gammon--that poking out your left arm and fending with your right. I like to hit out with my right arm."

"I don't like hitting out at all," I said gloomily.

"But shall you try?"

"I don't know, Tom," I replied in a desponding tone. "Oh, I do wish boys wouldn't be such beasts! Come on."

"All boys ain't," said Mercer, as we moved off toward the yard. "Oh, don't I wish the time had been quite ripe, and we could have astonished 'em! It's always the way. I make such jolly plans, and think they're going to turn out all right, but they don't. Never mind. I never told you what I've got saved up in my box ready in case of accidents."

"No," I said; "what is it?"

"Some of the stuff my father uses for bruises. I bought some--leastwise I got Lom to buy some for me at the chemist's when he went into the town."

"What is it?" I said carelessly, for I did not feel eager to know.

"Arnica. It's in a bottle, and you soak rags in it, and--"

"Here they are," greeted us in chorus, and we were literally taken into custody by about a dozen boys, who hurried us round to the back, where Burr major, Dicksee, Hodson, Stewart, and three more were waiting like so many conspirators.

I may as well own to it; my heart sank, and I felt as if I were going out to execution, or at the least to be severely punished, for Burr major was laughing and chatting to the boys about him, and turned sneeringly to us as we came up.

"Oh, here they are, then," he cried contemptuously. "Bring them up, boys;" and he turned off, entered the old stable, and went up the worn steps into the loft, while we were dragged and pushed unnecessarily till we were up at the top, to find Burr major seated on the big bin, swinging one leg about carelessly--acting as if he were judge and we were two criminals brought up before him.

"Two of you keep the lower door and give notice if any one's coming," said Burr major sharply.

"Oh," cried one of the boys, "don't send us down, please. We shan't see none of the fun."

Nice fun for us, I thought, and then wondered whether it would hurt much.

"All right, then," cried Burr major. "I don't want to be hard. You can keep a look-out from the window." Then, turning sharply,--

"Now, you two," he cried, "what have you got to say for yourselves?"

"Nothing," I said.

"More have I," cried Mercer defiantly.

"Oh, very well," said Burr major. "More cheeky than ever. What shall I do, boys? give 'em stick or let 'em stand up and take it?"

"A fight, a fight!" rose in chorus.

"All right. I'll dress the groom boy, and Dicksee shall give the other chap his dose."

A curious sensation of trouble and bewilderment came over me, as I gave a quick glance round at the bare loft, with its cob-webbed windows and eager little crowd of boys, all expectant and flushed with desire for the scene.

"Ah, look out! he's going to bolt," shouted Hodson.

"I wasn't," I cried indignantly.

"He'd better," said Burr major, coolly taking off his jacket and beginning to fold it up and lay it on the bin. "Now then, major-general of cavalry, off with your duds. I won't keep you long. Just time before dinner."

"But I say," cried Dicksee, "we ain't going to fight both together?"

"No," said Burr major; "you shall dress Jollop down first, and I'll second you."

"No; you do yours first."

"Do as I tell you," cried Burr sharply, "and don't waste time. I shall have to wash after thrashing that dirty groom."

I gave him an angry glance in return for his insult, and then turned to Tom Mercer, who was standing with his brow all wrinkled up, slowly taking off his jacket, which he threw over a beam, and turning up his shirt sleeves above his sharp elbows.

"I'm going to get such a licking," he whispered.

"No, no; do win!" I whispered back.

"Can't. He's so soft you can't hurt him. He's just like a big football that you mustn't kick."

"His head isn't soft," I whispered; "hit that."

"Now then, ready!" cried Burr, and we faced round, to find Dicksee with his sleeves rolled up, and Burr patting him on the shoulder and giving him instructions.

"Now, then, young Mercer, come up to the scratch," cried Burr. "Stand back, you boys, and make a better ring."

Then a shuffling of feet, a few suppressed sounds of excitement, and the boys who were to look out turned from the windows.

"Remember old Lom," I said, feeling very nervous and doubtful as I whispered to my principal. Then the boys were opposite to each other, Dicksee throwing his head about, dancing from leg to leg, and feinting a rush in, while Mercer stood well balanced on his legs, his brow wrinkled, and his fists up in the attitude we had been taught.

"Now, Dicksy, give it up. Go in at him. Look sharp!"

"All right; wait a moment," cried the boy, dancing and dodging about as if to avoid blows that had not been struck at him.

"Go it, Fatty, go it!" shouted the boys.

"Hush! not so much row," cried Burr. "Go on, Fatty. Now then."

"All right; wait--"

But Burr would not wait, for he gave his principal a heavy thrust, sending him forward right on to Tom, who contented himself with thrusting his antagonist back.

"Oh, I say, that ain't fair," cried Dicksee. "You wouldn't like it yourself. You spoiled my plans."

"Go on, then, and finish him off; I want my turn." Then there was a burst of eager incitements, and, unable to defer the attack any longer, seeing, too, that Mercer did not mean to begin, Dicksee gave a final dance, which included a dodge to right and left, and then he rushed in at Mercer, who seemed just to shoot his left shoulder forward with his arm extended, when there was a dull sound, and Dicksee seated himself very suddenly on the floor.

"Hallo! slip?" cried Burr, helping him up,--rather a heavy job,--while a look of perfect astonishment was in the fat face.

"Yes--boards--awkward," he babbled. "Ca-ca-can't we go on the grass?"

"No, no. Go in again."

"Eh?" said Dicksee, with his hand to his face.

"Well done, Tom!" I whispered; "that's it."

"It was right, wasn't it?" he said.

There was no time for more. Incited, almost driven by his second, Dicksee came on again, aimed a blow or two wildly, and was sent down again by Mercer almost without an effort.

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, Dicksee, 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 bump his head upon the boards.

There was quite a little burst of cheers now.

"Will you stop that row!" cried Burr fiercely. "Silence! You, Dicksee," he whispered, as he helped his principal 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 Dicksee 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. "Dicksee isn't well to-day; I believe old Jollop has given him something." Then in a whisper, as he half-dragged his principal 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 Dicksee, 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 attitude 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 passed 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,--

"Oh, don't let him lick you, Frank!--don't let him lick you, pray!"

"No," I panted, with my breath coming rather short, "he isn't going to, but I'm so giddy."

"Had enough of it?" cried Burr major, and the giddiness passed away directly as I rose and faced him.

Satisfied by the result of his last manoeuvre, he tried it again, but this time I was prepared, and, stepping on one side, I gave him, or rather my fist of itself seemed to give him, a stinging blow on the ear, which had so staggering an effect that, as he swung round and came on again, I was able to follow up my blow with three or four more, and the poor fellow went down crash.

It was his turn to look dazed and heavy now, and quite half the boys crowded round, giving me advice, bidding me, "go it," and working themselves up to a tremendous pitch of excitement.

Then we were facing each other again, with all pity and compunction gone, and, after receiving one or two blows, I forgot everything but the fact that there was something before me that I must hit, and hit it I did, my deliveries, as it happened, being quite in accordance with Lomax's teaching, which somehow came natural to me; and then I found myself standing over Burr major who was seated on the floor, and with half a dozen boys all wanting to shake hands with me at once.

"Here, I say, Burr major," cried one of his chief parasites, "ain't you going to lick old Senna now?"

I felt sorry for him, for he looked around dazed and despairing, but my blood was up again directly, as I saw the miserable cur of a fellow who had spoken go closer, double his fist, and shake it so close to Burr major's face that he tapped his nose.

"Serve you right!" he cried. "Always knocking other people about. How do you like it now?"

"You let him alone," I cried hotly.

"I shan't. Mind your own--"

"Business," I suppose he meant to say, but my fists had grown so excited by the fight that one of them flew out, and sent the miserable cur staggering against Mercer's chest.

Then I stood upon my guard, but the boy only held his hand to his face, while the others set up a cheer, and I turned to Burr major, who was still seated on the floor.

"I'm very sorry, Burr," I said apologetically. "I didn't want to knock you about so much. You'll shake hands, won't you?"

He looked up at me with rather an ugly expression upon his face, but he made no movement to take my hand, only turned away.

"Help me up, Stewart," he said huskily. "I want to go to my room and wash, and--"

"What is the meaning of all this, pray?" said a cold, harsh voice, and we all looked round to see Mr Rebble's white face just above the trap-door.

"Burr Major and Burr Junior been having it out, sir," cried half a dozen voices at once, and the colour began to burn in my cheeks as I met the usher's eye. _

Read next: Chapter 19

Read previous: Chapter 17

Table of content of Burr Junior


GO TO TOP OF SCREEN

Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book