resting himself on his elbow, "you'll never get rid of that fellow
till you lick him. Go in at him, both of you--I'll see fair play."

ACCOUNTS SQUARED WITH FLASHMAN.

Flashman was taken aback, and retreated two steps. East looked at Tom.
"Shall we try?" said he. "Yes," said Tom, desperately. So the two
advanced on Flashman, with clenched fists and beating hearts. They
were about up to his shoulder, but tough boys of their age, and in
perfect training; while he, though strong and big, was in poor
condition from his monstrous habit of stuffing and want of exercise.
Coward as he was, however, Flashman couldn't swallow such an insult as
this; besides, he was confident of having easy work, and so faced the
boys, saying, "You impudent young blackguards!" Before he could finish
his abuse they rushed in on him, and began pummelling at all of him
which they could reach. He hit out wildly and savagely, but the full
force of his blows didn't tell; they were too near him. It was long
odds, though, in point of strength, and in another minute Tom went
plunging backward over the form, and Flashman turned to demolish East
with a savage grin. But now Diggs jumped down from the table on which
he had seated himself. "Stop there," shouted he, "the round's
over--half a minute time allowed."

"What the----is it to you?" faltered Flashman, who began to lose
heart.

"I'm going to see fair, I tell you," said Diggs, with a grin, and
snapping his great red fingers; "'tisn't fair for you to be fighting
one of them at a time. Are you ready, Brown? Time's up."

The small boys rushed in again. Closing they saw was their best
chance, and Flashman was wilder and more flurried than ever; he caught
East by the throat, and tried to force him back on the iron-bound
table; Tom grasped his waist, and remembering the old throw he had
learned in the Vale from Harry Winburn, crooked his leg inside
Flashman's, and threw his weight forward. The three tottered for a
moment, then over they went on to the floor, Flashman striking his
head against a form in the Hall.

PENALTIES OF WAR.

The two youngsters sprang to their legs, but he lay there still. They
began to be frightened. Tom stooped down, and then cried out, scared
out of his wits, "He's bleeding awfully; come here, East, Diggs--he's
dying!"

"Not he," said Diggs, getting leisurely off the table; "it's all
sham--he's only afraid to fight it out."

East was as frightened as Tom. Diggs lifted