n, and then up, and then down again, over and over, and
fighting fiercely as a couple of dogs.

I think I was getting the best of it, when I began to feel weak, and
that my adversary was hitting me back and front at once.

Then I realised that Philip had attacked me too, and that I was getting
very much the worst of it in a sort of thunderstorm which rained blows.

Then the blows only came from one side, for there was a hoarse panting
and the sound of heavy blows and scuffling away from me, while I was
hitting out again with all my might at one boy instead of two.

All at once there was a crash and the rattle of an iron handle, and
Courtenay went down. He had caught against the pail and fallen.

This gave me time to glance round and see in a half-blinded way that
Philip was fighting with some other boy, who closed with him, and down
they went together.

"Yah! yah! Cowards! cowards!" cried a voice that I well knew; and I saw
giddily that Courtenay and Philip were running up the path, and that
Shock was standing beside me.

"Well done!" cried another voice. "What a licking you two give 'em!"

Shock started, and ran, darting among the bushes, while I sat down on a
barrow-handle, feeling rather thick and dizzy.

"I was coming to stop it. Two to one's too bad; but that ragged chap
come out at young Phil, and my word, he did give it him well. Are you
much hurt, my lad?"

"No, not much, Mr Bunce," I said, staring at him in rather a confused
way.

"Here, I'll get some water," he said; and he went and dipped a pailful.
"Bathe your face in that."

I did so, and felt clearer and refreshed directly.

"Go on," he said; "keep it up. It will stop the bleeding. What! have
you been in the pond?"

"Yes," I said; "they've been pelting me this last half hour, and then
they pushed me in."

"The young rips!" cried Bunce. "Never mind. I'm as pleased as if some
one had given me a sovereign."

"Yes," I said dismally; "and they'll tell Sir Francis, and I shall have
to go."

"Not you," said Bunce. "They're awful curs, but they're beaten, and
they won't tell."

"Hallo! what's all this?" said Mr Solomon, coming up.

Bunce told him.

"And did he thrash 'em well?" said Mr Solomon, looking rather angry,
"the pair of them?"

"No. They were too strong both at once, but that Ragged Jack of a chap
that's been hanging about--him as I told you of this morning--he come
out and tackled young Phil when he was on Grant's b