y to act on the defensive, I waited, while we
watched each other cautiously, my adversary evidently expecting that I
should begin.

But, as I did not, he attacked again, and, though I managed to give him
several telling blows, he closed with me before I could avoid him, and
in the tussle which followed I went down heavily, my head coming in
violent contact with the floor.

Everything passed away then for a few moments except sparks dancing
before my eyes, but I was conscious directly of Mercer's voice, as he
whispered to me excitedly,--

"Oh, don't let him lick you, Frank!--don't let him lick you, pray!"

"No," I panted, with my breath coming rather short, "he isn't going to,
but I'm so giddy."

"Had enough of it?" cried Burr major, and the giddiness passed away
directly as I rose and faced him.

Satisfied by the result of his last manoeuvre, he tried it again, but
this time I was prepared, and, stepping on one side, I gave him, or
rather my fist of itself seemed to give him, a stinging blow on the ear,
which had so staggering an effect that, as he swung round and came on
again, I was able to follow up my blow with three or four more, and the
poor fellow went down crash.

It was his turn to look dazed and heavy now, and quite half the boys
crowded round, giving me advice, bidding me, "go it," and working
themselves up to a tremendous pitch of excitement.

Then we were facing each other again, with all pity and compunction
gone, and, after receiving one or two blows, I forgot everything but the
fact that there was something before me that I must hit, and hit it I
did, my deliveries, as it happened, being quite in accordance with
Lomax's teaching, which somehow came natural to me; and then I found
myself standing over Burr major who was seated on the floor, and with
half a dozen boys all wanting to shake hands with me at once.

"Here, I say, Burr major," cried one of his chief parasites, "ain't you
going to lick old Senna now?"

I felt sorry for him, for he looked around dazed and despairing, but my
blood was up again directly, as I saw the miserable cur of a fellow who
had spoken go closer, double his fist, and shake it so close to Burr
major's face that he tapped his nose.

"Serve you right!" he cried. "Always knocking other people about. How
do you like it now?"

"You let him alone," I cried hotly.

"I shan't. Mind your own--"

"Business," I suppose he meant to say, but my fists had grown so excite