Here,
you two, go and wash yourselves, and make yourselves right. The bell
will ring directly, and if old Reb sees you've been fighting, he'll
report you both to the Doctor, and you'll get no end of punishment."

This seemed the unkindest cut of all, and as soon as the boys had gone
racing down into the yard, where Dicksee gave vent to a loud
"Cock-a-doodle-doo," I slowly rose to my feet and faced Mercer, who was
gazing straight before him.

"I say," I panted, for I was breathless still, "did I win?"

"You? No," he cried savagely. "You can't fight any more than I can,
and the brutes have beaten us both. Here, let's look at you. Oh, you
ain't much marked, only your nose bleeds a bit. That's where you ought
to have hit him."

"I did try to," I said despondently; "but he wouldn't let me."

"Never mind, put on your things. I say, are my eyes swollen?"

"One of them's puffed up a bit, and your lip's cut like mine is."

"Never mind. Come and have a wash."

"Shan't you lock up your museum?"

"Not now. I don't care for it after what they've done. Yes, I do; I'll
come up afterwards," he continued, rapidly replacing the pot of
preserving paste. "Come along, and try and look as if nothing was the
matter."

I followed him as soon as we had put on our clothes, and then we hurried
to the row of basins and towels, barely completing our ablutions when
the bell rang, and not looking so very much the worse.

"Never mind, old chap," whispered Mercer, as we went into the schoolroom
to dinner, with the boys all watching us and making remarks; "wait a
bit, and we'll have revenge."

"How?" I said, as with a horrifying rapidity the pot of poison came
into my mind.

"Never you mind;" he whispered tragically. "Bitter revenge! Only you
wait."

There was a tapping on the end table just then, and all the boys rose.
Then the Doctor's deep, bland voice uttered the word,--

"Grace!"

CHAPTER SEVEN.

I ate that dinner very uneasily. For one thing, I had no appetite,
having had enough before I took my place. For another, I was worried by
the furtive grins and whispers of the boys near me, the news of the
fight having run like lightning through the school. Then I was in a
constant state of dread lest my appearance should be noticed by either
Mr Rebble, the Doctor, or the new assistant master, who was dining on
the principal's left, for the Doctor made our dinner his lunch and of
course had his late. I had not