ietly.

"No, I wasn't. Don't you get turning again' me too. Take a better man
than him to make me cry."

I laughed.

"Ah, you may grin," grumbled my companion; "but just you have your head
knocked again' the desk, and just you see if it wouldn't make your eyes
water."

At that moment the door was opened with a snatch.

"Silence there! You, Gordon, will you go on with your work?"

The door was banged before I could have answered. Not that I should
have said anything. But as soon as the door clicked Esau went on again
without subduing his voice--

"I ain't afraid of him--cheating old knocktioneer! Thinks he's a right
to knock everybody down 'cause he's got a licence."

"Go on with your work," I whispered, "or he'll come back."

"Let him; I don't care. I ain't afraid. It was all your fault for
going out."

"And yours for being asleep."

"I can't help my head being heavy. Mother says it's because I've got so
much brains. But I'll serve him out. I'll make all the mistakes I can,
and he'll have to pay for them being corrected."

"What good will that do?"

"I dunno; but I'll serve him out. He shan't hit me. I say, what did
you go out to buy?"

"Nothing. I went out to speak to that gentleman who came."

"What gentleman who came?"

"While you were asleep."

"There you go! You're as bad as old Knock-'em-down. Fellow's only got
to shut his eyes, and you say he's asleep. But I don't care.
Everybody's again' me, but I'll serve 'em out."

"You'd better go on with your writing."

"Shan't. Go on with yours. I know. I'll 'list--that's what I'll do.
Like to see old Going-going touch me then!"

There was a busy interval of writing, during which something seemed to
ask me why I let Mr Dempster behave so brutally to me, and I began
wondering whether I was a coward. I felt that I could not be as brave
as Esau, or I should have resisted.

"Not half a chap, you ain't!" said my companion, suddenly.

"Why?"

"You'd say you'd come with me. Deal better to be soldiers than always
scrawling down Lot 104 on paper."

"I don't want to be a soldier," I said.

"No; you're not half a chap. Only wait a bit. I'd ha' gone long ago if
it hadn't been for mother."

"Yes; she wouldn't like you to go."

"How do you know?"

"Mrs Dean told me so. She said you were mad about red-coats."

"That's just like mother," said Esau, with a grin, "allus wrong. I
don't want to wear a red coat. Blue's my colour