d utterly regardless of
consequences, the Zulu boy swung round his arm like a flail, hitting
Jarnley full across the face with a smack that resounded through the
room, producing a dead and pin-dropping silence, as every head came
round to see what had happened.

"What's all this?" cried the furious voice of the master in charge,
looking quickly up. "Come out, you two boys. Come out at once."

Then, as the two delinquents stood up to come out of their places, a
titter rippled through the whole room, for Jarnley's red and half
scared, half furious countenance was further ornamented by a great black
smear where his smiter's inky hand had fallen.

Now the Reverend Richard Clay was hot of temper, and his method under
such circumstances as these short and effectual, viz.: to chastise the
offenders first and institute enquiry afterwards, or not at all. Even
during the time taken by these two to leave their places and stand
before him, he had flung open the lid of the great desk, and jerked
forth the cane always kept there; a long supple, well-hardened cane,
well burnt at the end.

"Fighting during school time, were you?" he said. "Hold up your coat."

"Please sir, he shied a lot of ink over my work," explained Jarnley in
desperation. Anthony the while said nothing.

"I don't care if he did," was the uncompromising reply. "Stand up and
hold up your coat."

This Jarnley had no alternative but to do, and as Mr Clay did nothing
by halves the patient was soon dancing on one foot at a time.

"No, no, I haven't done yet," said the master, in response to a muttered
and spasmodic appeal for quarter. "I'll teach you to make a disturbance
in schooltime when I'm in charge. There! Stand still."

And he laid it on--to the bitter end; and with such muscle and will that
the bully could not repress one or two short howls as he received the
final strokes. But the Zulu boy, whose turn now came, and who received
the same unsparing allowance, took it without movement or sound.

"Go back to your seats, you two," commanded Mr Clay. "If any one else
wants a dose of the same medicine, he knows how to get it," he added
grimly, locking up the cane again.

"Oh, wait till I get you outside, you black beast," whispered the bully
as they got back to their seats. "I'll only skin you alive--that's what
I'll do."

"Come out again, Jarnley," rang out Mr Clay's clear, sharp voice.
"Were you talking?" he queried, as the bully stood befor