of that. You were always a sneak, and trying
to curry favour with the Indian nigger."

"Curry, eh?" said Burney with a half-laugh. "Well, suppose I did. I
like Indian curry."

"Do you. But you won't like my curry," snorted out Slegge, "for I'll
give you such a curry-combing down as will make you sore for a week, my
fine fellow.--Look here, boys, all of you; I am not ashamed to own I was
licked that day, for I was weak and ill, and in one of the first rounds
I nearly put my elbow out of joint. Something was put out of joint, but
it snapped back."

"He means his nose," whispered little Burton. "It has been ever since
Severn came. I never heard it snap back; did you?"

"I saw him blow it several times," said the companion to whom he spoke,
"and I saw his pocket-hanky after, and, oh my!"

"What are you two boys plotting there?" snarled Slegge. "My ears are
sharper than you think, and if you don't want yours pulled you had
better drop it."

Little Burton dropped upon his knees, crouching down all of a heap and
seeming to subside into the worn brown earth as he laid his forehead
upon the ground, while Slegge seized the opportunity and rushed at him
as if he were a football, delivering a heavy kick that sent the poor
little fellow over.

"Serve you right!" cried Slegge, as the boy uttered a sharp cry of pain.
"Now, go and yelp somewhere else. Let's have none of your howlings
here."

But only a faint sob followed, while the little fellow rose with his
teeth closely set and lips compressed, as he tried to stifle the cries
that were struggling to escape, and then stood leaning against his
nearest companion without uttering a sound.

"Look here, Burton," sneered Slegge, "go and tell Severn, and ask him to
come and lick me again. I am ready, and I'll let him see.--Yes, you may
look, Mr Burney, Esquire. I saw that letter yesterday you had from
home. Esquire indeed! It's sickening!--I am ready to have it out with
him whenever he likes, and take the nigger after him when he's had his
gruel. Go and tell him if you like. It's been dull enough in the place
ever since that miserable imposture about the lost belt. You want
something to rouse you up, and I'll give it you if you can bring those
two fellows up to the scratch; but that you can't do. Look at them
sneaking off like a street cur and an Indian jackal. Contemptible
beasts! I only wish they would come back. I feel just in the humour
now to give them w