down
his cheeks.

"You're--you're a cruel brute!" came bursting from his lips.

"Oh, the little squealer's got a tongue, and it can speak! Come, come,
walk!"

Harry did not stir. So Newall gave him a push which sent him over to one
side of the throng, where another push sent him quickly back again. The
sport was only at its commencement, when it was suddenly checked by
Stanley Moncrief forcing his way through the throng, closely followed by
Paul Percival.

They had been in the fives court while Plunger and Harry had been inside
the schoolhouse, and it was not till their return to the ground that
they caught sight of the throng of boys, of which Harry was the centre.
On making their way towards it, Paul soon saw what was happening.

"They're baiting a fresher!" he exclaimed.

"And it's my young cousin!" cried Stanley.

He had no objection to a little fun at Harry's expense. Indeed, it was
the ordeal which every new-comer to Garside had to go through in some
form or other. But this seemed more than fun--more than a joke.
Otherwise, his cousin would not be in tears. And it was not only the
sight of his cousin in tears--it was the sight of his tormentor--Newall,
whom he cordially disliked.

"Stop that!" he cried, with flashing eyes and clenched fists, as he
reached the centre of the throng. "He's my cousin!"

"Oh, your cousin, Moncrief!" answered Newall, resenting this intrusion
on Stanley's part. "Nice little girl, isn't she? Heard her squeal?"

At a gesture from him, Viner--one of the boys who belonged to the
dormitory in which Harry had been placed--stooped down at the back of
the unsuspecting lad. Newall gave him a sudden push, with the result, of
course, that he came to the ground over Viner's back. Unfortunately his
head struck on the gravel, and when he scrambled to his feet again
blood was flowing freely from a cut in his head.

Stanley Moncrief was a quick, hot-tempered lad, and his temper was now
thoroughly aroused. Before Paul could check him, he sprang at Newall,
when he saw what had happened to his cousin. The two wrestled for a
moment, then separated.

Paul stepped in to stop fighting, but before he could do so Stanley had
shot out his arm blindly. It passed over Paul's shoulder, caught Newall
on the mouth, and sent him reeling to the ground.

Angry passions thus roused, it is impossible to say how the quarrel
would have ended; but Mr. Weevil appeared on the scene, just as Newall
had leapt to