Chapter 3

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_ CHAPTER THREE.

Tom Blount started up in bed confused and staring. He was only half awake, and it was some time before he could realise that it was his cousin, who had come back from his trip boisterous and elated, and who had been playing him some trick as he lay there asleep.

"Well, what are you staring at, old torpid?" cried Sam, as he now began to divest himself slowly of his coat and vest.

"I--that is--have been asleep," stammered Tom.

"Asleep? Yes, and snoring loud enough to bring the plaster off the ceiling. Why, you must have been gorging yourself like a boa-constrictor, and been sleeping it off. Come, wake up, bumpkin, you're half stupid now."

"I'm quite awake, Sam. Had a pleasant day? I say, were you sitting on my head?"

"Was I doing what?" cried Sam. "No, I wasn't; but you want some one to sit upon you to bring you to your senses. Wake up; I want to talk."

Tom tried to rub the last traces of his drowsiness out of his eyes, and now sat up watching his cousin, who, after taking off collar and tie, unfastened his braces, and then, as if moved by a sudden thought, he tied the aforesaid suspenders about his waist. Then, grinning to himself, he stooped down, untied his Oxford shoes, pushed them off, took up one, and shouting "_Play_!" bowled it sharply at Tom where he sat up in bed on the other side of the room.

It was a bad shot, for the shoe whizzed by the lad's side, and struck the scroll-work of the iron bedstead with a sharp rap, and fell on the pillow.

"Play again!" cried Sam, and he sent the second shoe spinning with a vicious energy at the still confused and sleepy boy.

This time the aim was excellent, and Tom was too helpless to avoid the missile, which struck him heavily, the edge of the heel catching him on the chin, and making him wince.

"Well played--well bowled!" cried Sam, laughing boisterously. "I say, bumpkin, that's the way to wake you up."

Tom's face grew dark, and the hand which he held to his injured face twitched as if the fingers were trying to clench themselves and form a fist for their owner's defence; but the boy did not stir, only sat looking at his cousin, who now struck an attitude, made two or three feints, and then dashed forward hitting out sharply, catching Tom in the chest, and knocking him backward so heavily that it was his crown now that struck the scroll-work of the bed.

"That's your sort, countryman," cried Sam. "How do you like that style?"

"Don't! Be quiet, will you," said the boy in a suffocated voice, as he sat up once more.

"What for?" cried Sam. "Here, get up and have a round with the gloves. I feel as if I can hit to-night. It's the rowing. My arms are as hard as wood."

"No; be quiet," said Tom huskily. "They'll hear you down-stairs."

"Let 'em," said Sam, chuckling to himself as he dragged open a drawer, and brought out a couple of pairs of boxing-gloves, two of which he hurled with all his might like a couple of balls at his cousin's head.

But the boy was wide-awake now, and caught each glove in turn, letting it fall afterwards upon the bed before him.

"Now then, shove 'em on," cried Sam, as he thrust his own hands into the gloves he held. "Look sharp, or I'll knock you off the bed."

"No, no," cried Tom; "don't be so absurd. How can I when I'm undressed?"

"Put on your trousers then. D'yer hear? Be quick now, or you'll have it."

"You'll have uncle hear you directly if you don't be quiet."

"You'll have him hear you go off that bed lump if you don't jump out and get ready. Now then, are you going to begin?"

"No," said Tom sturdily. "I'm going to sleep."

He snuggled down in his place and drew the clothes up to his ear, but they did not stay there, for Sam began his attack, bounding forward and bringing the padded gloves _thud_, _thud_, down upon his cousin's head, as if bent upon driving it down into the pillow.

Tom sat up again quickly with his teeth set, and his eyes flashing.

"Will you be quiet?" he cried in a low, half-suffocated voice.

"Will you put on those gloves?" cried Sam.

"No; I'm not going to make such a fool of myself at this time of night," said Tom.

"Lie down then," cried Sam, and hitting out again cleverly he knocked his cousin back on to the pillow, following it up with other blows, each having the same result, for Tom struggled up again and again.

"Now, will you get up?" cried Sam.

"No," said Tom hoarsely; and down he went once more.

"You'd better jump up and do as I tell you, or it will be the worse for you."

"You'd better leave me alone before you get my temper up."

"Temper, bumpkin? Yes, you'd better show your teeth. Take that, and that, and that."

Tom did take them--heavy blows delivered with the soft gloves, but all falling hard enough to inflict a good deal of pain, and make the boy draw his breath hard.

"That's your sort," continued Sam, who danced about by the side of the bed, skilfully delivering his blows upon his defenceless cousin, and revelling in the pleasure he found in inflicting pain. "That'll knock some sense into your thick head, and so will that, and that, and that, and--Oh!"

Sam had gone too far, for after trying all he could to avoid the blows, Tom suddenly gathered himself together and shot out of bed full at his cousin's breast, sending him down heavily in a sitting position first and then backwards, so that his head struck heavily against the iron leg of his own bedstead.

Then, thoroughly up now, Tom flung himself upon his cousin, tore off his gloves, and stuffed them under his bed-clothes, and was looking for the others, when he was sent down in turn by Sam.

"You savage beast!" cried the latter. "I'll teach you to do that;" and flinging himself on Tom's chest, he nipped him with his knees, and began to belabour him with his fists.

Then a fierce struggle began. Sam was jerked off, and for a few moments there was an angry up-and-down wrestle, ending in Sam becoming the undermost, with Tom occupying his position in turn, and holding his cousin down just as the bedroom door was opened, and Mr James Brandon entered in his dressing-gown, and holding up a candle above his head.

"What is the meaning of all this?" he cried angrily, as Tom sprang up and darted into bed.

"Yes, you may well say that, father," cried Sam, rising slowly, and beginning to try and fasten the neck of his shirt, but vainly, for the button-hole was torn and the button off. "If that country wild beast is to stop here I shan't sleep in the same room."

Sam's father turned to Tom, who now lay in bed staring, mentally stunned by the tone his cousin had taken.

"What is the meaning of this?" he cried. "How dare you, sir!"

"Why, he began at me, uncle, while I was asleep, and--"

"Silence, sir! I will not have the calm and repose of my house disturbed by such disgraceful conduct. Past twelve o'clock, you ought to be asleep, and here is a regular riot in the place."

"There, I told you how it would be," said Sam in an ill-used, remonstrative tone.

"Oh!" exclaimed Tom, but no more, for a hot feeling of indignation forced him to be silent, stung as he was by the injustice of the disturbance being laid at his door.

"_Oh_! indeed!" cried his uncle. "It is scandalous, sir. Out of charity and compassion for your forlorn state, I give you a home and brilliant prospects, and you set yourself to work in every way possible to make me repent my kindness. It is abominable. You make friends with the servants; you are idle and stupid and careless beyond belief; and when you come back at night to my peaceful quiet home, you must introduce your low, blackguardly habits, and begin quarrelling and fighting with your cousin."

"I can't speak--I won't speak," said Tom to himself, as he set his teeth hard. "And as for Sam, I'll--"

He had not time to say to himself what he would do to his cousin, for his uncle had worked himself up now to deliver a sounding tirade upon his base, disgraceful conduct, finding plenty of epithets suitable as he considered for the occasion, and making the poor lad writhe as he lay there, hot and panting beneath the undeserved reproaches till he was quite out of breath; while, to make matters worse, Sam put in a word or two in a murmuring tone--"He knew how it would be," and "It was of no use for him to speak," and the like. And all the time Tom's indignation made him feel more stubbornly determined to hold his peace.

"It's of no use for me to complain," he thought. "Uncle hates me, and he will not believe, and it's too hard to bear."

"Once for all, sir," cried his uncle, "remember this--if you stay here there must be a marked improvement in your conduct, both as to your work at the office and your behaviour in my house. I won't have it--do you hear? I won't have it. That sulky way too won't go down with me. Here you, Sam, undress and get to bed, and if he interferes with you again, call me at once; but if I do come up, unwilling as I should be, I shall feel called upon, out of my duty to his mother, to read him a very severe lesson, such as his schoolmaster should have read him years ago. Now silence, both of you; and as for you, sir, bear in mind what I have said, for, as you ought to know by this time, I am a man of my word."

The door was shut loudly, and the resounding steps were heard, followed by the banging of the bedroom door on the next floor.

"There, now you know, bumpkin," said Sam, with a sneering laugh.

Tom sat up in bed as if a spring had been touched.

"You sneak!" he cried.

"What?"

"I say you sneak--you miserable, cowardly sneak!"

"Look here," cried Sam, "you say another word and I'll call the guv'nor, and you know what he meant; he'll give you a good licking, and serve you right."

"Oh!" muttered Tom between his teeth, while his cousin went on quietly undressing.

"That would soon bring you to your senses. I wanted to be friendly with you, and have just a bit of a game, but you must turn nasty, and it just serves you right."

"Oh!" muttered Tom again.

"I thought that would quiet you, my lad. He'd bring up his old rattan, and loosen that stiff hide of yours. There, go to sleep, bumpkin, and think yourself lucky you got off so well."

A minute later the candle was extinguished, and Sam jumped into bed, to fall asleep directly, but Tom lay with his head throbbing till the pale dawn began to creep into the room; and then only did he fall into a troubled doze, full of unpleasant dreams one after the other, till it was time to rise, get his breakfast alone, and hurry off to the office. For breakfast was late, and aunt, uncle, and cousin did not put in an appearance till long after Tom had climbed upon his stool in Gray's Inn. _

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