ll serve the
sneaking coward out for getting me in that row with pa."

"Wait a bit," said his brother; "look at him. He goes down just like a
monkey. He's going to wash his gooseberry face."

He was quite right, for I had laid my cap aside and stooped down at the
dipping place to wash off some of the seedy, sticky pulp before going
back.

"Dirty brute!" said Philip. "I never saw such a coward in my life."

I ought to have been on my guard and not have given them the opportunity
which I did, for as I stooped down there, crouching on my heels, I
placed a great temptation in Courtenay Dalton's way. For as I stooped
right down, scooping up the water with one hand to bathe my face, I
suddenly felt a sharp thrust from a foot on my back, and before I could
save myself I was head over heels in the deep water.

It was not so deep but that I got my footing directly, and seizing the
post at the side tried to struggle out, when amidst shouts of laughter
Philip cried:

"Give him another dowse. That's the way to wash a pauper clean."

I was half-blind with the water, as Courtenay thrust my hand from the
post, and in I went again, to come up red hot instead of cold.

He thrust me in again and I went right under; but my rage was not
quenched, and, taught by my experience, I made a rush as if to spring
out on to the dipping-place but instead of doing so I caught at a branch
of a willow by the side and sprang out.

"Shake yourself, dog!" cried Courtenay, roaring with laughter.

"Fetch him a towel," cried Philip. "A towel for the clean pauper. Give
him another ducking, Courtenay."

He ran at me, but in those moments I had forgotten everything in my
thirst to be revenged on my cowardly persecutors.

Philip only seemed to be something in my way as I made at his brother,
and throwing out one fist, he went down amongst the willows, while the
next minute I was striking at Courtenay with all my might.

He was a bigger boy than I. Taller and older, and he had had many a
good fight at school no doubt; but my onslaught staggered him, and I
drove him before me, striking at him as he reached the handles of my
water-barrow, and he fell over them heavily.

This only enraged him, and he sprang up and received my next blow right
in the face, to be staggered for the moment.

Then I don't know what happened, only that my arms were going like
windmills, that I was battering Courtenay, and that he was battering me;
that we were dow