and burst into the back street, the
leader with his jacket torn off his back, and his face bearing the scars
of conflict, but full of might, and Nestie with the balls behind him.

The Seminary lads and the Pennies were now face to face in the back
street, with a space of about ten yards between, and both parties made
arrangements for the final conflict. The scouts of the Pennies could be
seen bringing balls from Breadalbane Street, and the Pennies themselves
made such hasty readjustments of their negligent attire as were
rendered necessary by the vigour of the last fighting. Their commander
was a sturdy lad about fifteen years of age, with a great shock of red
hair and fists like iron. His favourite method of charge was to lead his
army in the form of an inverted V, he being himself at the apex, and to
force his way through the other side on the principle of a wedge. Speug
did not believe in this arrangement. He led himself in the centre and
threw out his two lieutenants far out on the right hand and on the left,
so that when the Pennies forced their way into the middle of his
division, Bauldie and Johnson were on their right and left
flanks--tactics which in Speug's experience always caused dismay in the
attacking force. The younger boys of the Seminary had by this time ample
resources of ammunition ready, working like tigers without jackets now
or bonnets, and as they brought out the supplies of balls through the
passage of victory they received nods of approval from Speug, each nod
being something like a decoration. It was fine to see Speug examining
the balls to see that they were properly made and of a hardness which
would give satisfaction to the expectant Pennies.

Some pleasant incidents occurred during this interlude. When the
Seminary lads fought their way through the passage they cut off the
retreat of three Pennies who were still fighting with MacFarlane on the
top of the right-hand shed.

"What are ye daein' up there?" said Speug, with ironic politeness;
"that's no' the ordinar' road into the Seminary;" and then, as they
hesitated on the edge of the water pipe, Speug conceived what was in
these days a fine form of humour. "Come down," he said, "naebody 'ill
touch ye"; and then he ordered an open passage to be made through the
ranks of the Seminaries. Down between two lines the unfortunate Pennies
walked, no one laying a hand upon them, but various humourists
expressing their hopes that they had enjoyed th