on at once, and next moment
I was one of the skirmishing party and having rather a lively time of
it.

By this time the rest of the company had taken in the state of affairs.

"Pass him on there," some one called, and I was accordingly passed on in
rather a lively way to another party of skirmishers, who in turn, after
buffeting me up and down a bit among themselves, passed me on to another
group, and so on, till, with back and limbs and head all rather the
worse for wear, I had performed the tour of the room and found myself
finally pitched head-first into the embrace of the lordly youth who that
morning had condescended to point out to me the way to Hawk Street.

"Look here," cried he, kicking out somewhat savagely at my shins; "don't
you be so jolly familiar, do you hear? Look what you have done to my
shirt-front!"

"I beg your pardon," said I, rubbing my poor shin. "I couldn't help--"

"Yes, you could, you young cad!" cried he, kicking again.

"No, I couldn't, and--oh! I say, stop kicking, please!"

By this time most of the company had gathered round, some calling on the
youth to "let me have it" others encouraging me "to go in and win." I
felt very greatly tempted, especially after the receipt of the third
kick, to act on the suggestion given, and might have done so, had not
Mrs Nash at that moment entered the room with the supper.

This interruption created a new diversion.

"I say, Mrs Nash," cried my adversary, "who's this kid? We don't want
him here."

"You'll have to have him whether you want him or not," replied Mrs
Nash, in her usual gracious way. "He's a lodger here."

"What do you want to shove another lodger in for when you know we're
chock-full?" demanded the youth.

"You hold your tongue, Mr Jackanapes," replied Mrs Nash.

"I say, don't you be so familiar," cried the young gentleman, greatly
offended. "My name's Horncastle, not Jackanapes."

"Very well, then, Mr Horncastle, you'd better hold your tongue."

"I sha'n't hold my tongue. You've got a spite against us, that's what
it is, or you wouldn't go crowding us out with kids like this."

"Crowding you out!" retorted Mrs Nash, scornfully. "You've got another
kid coming next week, my beauty, so you'd better not talk of crowding
out till then."

"What! another besides this young cad? Oh, that's too much! We won't
stand it. That's all about that," cried Mr Horncastle, in tones of
utter disgust.

"Won't you? Then you can c