dly have provoked
their rivals to blows, but, like sensible men, the Sixth kept the right
side of the law, and refused to have anything to do with the challenges
daily hurled at them.

As might be expected, the affair did not long remain a secret from the
rest of the school. The Fourth Senior, as a body, stood up for the
Sixth, and the Third and Second, on the whole, sided with the Fifth.
But when it came to the junior school--the Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles--all
other partisanship was thrown quite into the shade.

The quarrel was one completely after their own hearts. It had begun in
a row, it had gone on in a row, and, if it ever ended, it would end in a
row.

A meeting was summoned at the earliest opportunity to take the momentous
matter into consideration.

"What I say," said Bramble, "is, it's a jolly good job!"

"What's a jolly good job?" demanded Stephen, who, of course, was red-hot
for the Fifth.

"Why, chucking them out! I'm glad to see it, ain't you, Padger?"

"They didn't chuck them out!" roared Paul; "they went and sneaked to the
Doctor, that's what they did!"

"I don't care! I say it's a jolly good job! Those who say it's a jolly
good job hold up--"

"Shut up your row!" cried Stephen; "you're always sticking yourself up.
I say it's a beastly shame, and I hope the Fifth will let them know it!"

"You're a young idiot, that's what you are!" exclaimed Bramble in a
rage. "What business have you got at the meeting? Turn him out!"

"I'll turn _you_ out!" replied the undaunted Stephen; "I've as much
right here as you have. So there!"

"Turn him out, can't you?" roared Bramble. "Bah! who goes and swills
ginger-beer down in a public-house in the town, eh?"

This most unexpected turn to the conversation startled Stephen. He
turned quite pale as he replied, "_I_ did, there! But I didn't go in at
the public door. And you've been sneaking!"

"No, I haven't. Padger told me, didn't you, Padger? Padger peeped
through the door, and saw you. Oh, my eye! won't I kick-up a shine
about it! I'll let out on you, see if I don't. Bah, public-house boy!
potboy, yah!"

Stephen's only answer to this was a book, accurately shied at the head
of his enemy.

The subsequent proceedings at the meeting were a trifle animated, but
otherwise not interesting to the reader. The chief result was that the
Guinea-pigs emerged as uncompromising champions for the Fifth, and the
Tadpoles equally strong for the Sixth,