wful licking," said Tom huskily.
"I can't fight a bit. It's all gammon--that poking out your left arm
and fending with your right. I like to hit out with my right arm."

"I don't like hitting out at all," I said gloomily.

"But shall you try?"

"I don't know, Tom," I replied in a desponding tone. "Oh, I do wish
boys wouldn't be such beasts! Come on."

"All boys ain't," said Mercer, as we moved off toward the yard. "Oh,
don't I wish the time had been quite ripe, and we could have astonished
'em! It's always the way. I make such jolly plans, and think they're
going to turn out all right, but they don't. Never mind. I never told
you what I've got saved up in my box ready in case of accidents."

"No," I said; "what is it?"

"Some of the stuff my father uses for bruises. I bought some--leastwise
I got Lom to buy some for me at the chemist's when he went into the
town."

"What is it?" I said carelessly, for I did not feel eager to know.

"Arnica. It's in a bottle, and you soak rags in it, and--"

"Here they are," greeted us in chorus, and we were literally taken into
custody by about a dozen boys, who hurried us round to the back, where
Burr major, Dicksee, Hodson, Stewart, and three more were waiting like
so many conspirators.

I may as well own to it; my heart sank, and I felt as if I were going
out to execution, or at the least to be severely punished, for Burr
major was laughing and chatting to the boys about him, and turned
sneeringly to us as we came up.

"Oh, here they are, then," he cried contemptuously. "Bring them up,
boys;" and he turned off, entered the old stable, and went up the worn
steps into the loft, while we were dragged and pushed unnecessarily till
we were up at the top, to find Burr major seated on the big bin,
swinging one leg about carelessly--acting as if he were judge and we
were two criminals brought up before him.

"Two of you keep the lower door and give notice if any one's coming,"
said Burr major sharply.

"Oh," cried one of the boys, "don't send us down, please. We shan't see
none of the fun."

Nice fun for us, I thought, and then wondered whether it would hurt
much.

"All right, then," cried Burr major. "I don't want to be hard. You can
keep a look-out from the window." Then, turning sharply,--

"Now, you two," he cried, "what have you got to say for yourselves?"

"Nothing," I said.

"More have I," cried Mercer defiantly.

"Oh, very well," said Burr ma