Burr Junior

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

  I had not been standing in the field many minutes, shut in by the hedge,and trying to rouse myself to go, before I heard a familiar voicecalling me, and I answered with a feeling of relief, for anything wasbetter than that sensation of shrinking expectancy, and, drawing a deepbreath, I prepared myself for the plunge.

  "Oh, here you are!" cried Mercer, running up to me excitedly. "I say,here's a go! You've got to come up into the loft directly."

  "The loft!" I said, feeling that here was something fresh. "What for?"

  "Eely wants us. He sent Dicksee to me to say that we were to go to himdirectly."

  "Do you know what for?" I said huskily.

  "Yes, Dicksee told me. He said he was going to punch our heads forbeing cheeky. But I say, Frank, we're not obliged to go, are we?"

  I was silent for a few moments, and then said, with an effort,--

  "Yes, I suppose we must."

  "But he isn't everybody."

  "If we don't go, they'll come and fetch us."

  "But you're not going to let him punch your head, are you?"

  "I suppose so," I said dismally, for my anger had faded away, and I wasquite cool.

  "But I'm sick of being knocked about."

  "So am I."

  "Then don't let's have it. The time isn't anything like ripe, I know,and I don't believe a bit in being able to fight, but--"

  "But what?" I said, after a pause.

  "I don't know. I hate fighting."

  "So do I, Tom," I said dismally. "I wish they'd leave us alone."

  "I wish they only would."

  "But why does Burr major want us to go into the loft? Why couldn't hecome here?"

  "Because he thinks he can lick us quietly up there, with only a few ofhis chaps with him, and two to be scouts. Oh dear me, school ain'tnice!"

  "Come on, Tom," I said, "and let's get it over."

  "What? do you mean to go?"

  "Yes," I said gloomily, "I suppose so."

  "And do you mean to fight?"

  "If I'm obliged. You may just as well have a few cracks at him as takeit all for nothing. You'll come?"

  "Oh, all right, but we shall get an awful licking," said Tom huskily."I can't fight a bit. It's all gammon--that poking out your left armand 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 wishboys 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'regoing to turn out all right, but they don't. Never mind. I never toldyou 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--leastwiseI got Lom to buy some for me at the chemist's when he went into thetown."

  "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 intocustody by about a dozen boys, who hurried us round to the back, whereBurr major, Dicksee, Hodson, Stewart, and three more were waiting likeso many conspirators.

  I may as well own to it; my heart sank, and I felt as if I were goingout to execution, or at the least to be severely punished, for Burrmajor was laughing and chatting to the boys about him, and turnedsneeringly 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 wornsteps into the loft, while we were dragged and pushed unnecessarily tillwe 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 wewere 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 seenone of the fun."

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

  "All right, then," cried Burr major. "I don't want to be hard. You cankeep 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 major. "More cheeky than ever. What shall Ido, boys? give 'em stick or let 'em stand up and take it?"

  "A fight, a fight!" rose in chorus.

  "All right. I'll dress the groom boy, and Dicksee shall give the otherchap his dose."

  A curious sensation of trouble and bewilderment came over me, as I gavea quick glance round at the bare loft, with its cob-webbed windows andeager little crowd of boys, all expectant and flushed with desire forthe scene.

  "Ah, look out! he's going to bolt," shouted Hodson.

  "I wasn't," I cried indignantly.

  "He'd better," said Burr major, coolly taking off his jacket andbeginning to fold it up and lay it on the bin. "Now then, major-generalof cavalry, off with your duds. I won't keep you long. Just timebefore dinner."

  "But I say," cried Dicksee, "we ain't going to fight both together?"

  "No," said Burr major; "you shall dress Jollop down first, and I'llsecond you."

  "No; you do yours first."

  "Do as I tell you," cried Burr sharply, "and don't waste time. I shallhave to wash after thrashing that dirty groom."

  I gave him an angry glance in return for his insult, and then turned toTom Mercer, who was standing with his brow all wrinkled up, slowlytaking off his jacket, which he threw over a beam, and turning up hisshirt sleeves above his sharp elbows.

  "I'm going to get such a licking," he whispered.

  "No, no; do win!" I whispered back.

  "Can't. He's so soft you can't hurt him. He's just like a big footballthat you mustn't kick."

  "His head isn't soft," I whispered; "hit that."

  "Now then, ready!" cried Burr, and we faced round, to find Dicksee withhis sleeves rolled up, and Burr patting him on the shoulder and givinghim instructions.

  "Now, then, young Mercer, come up to the scratch," cried Burr. "Standback, you boys, and make a better ring."

  Then a shuffling of feet, a few suppressed sounds of excitement, and theboys who were to look out turned from the windows.

  "Remember old Lom," I said, feeling very nervous and doubtful as Iwhispered to my principal. Then the boys were opposite to each other,Dicksee throwing his head about, dancing from leg to leg, and feinting arush in, while Mercer stood well balanced on his legs, his browwrinkled, and his fists up in the attitude we had been taught.

  "Now, Dicksy, give it up. Go in at him. Look sharp!"

  "All right; wait a moment," cried the boy, dancing and dodging about asif to avoid blows that had not been struck at him.

  "Go it, Fatty, go it!" shouted the boys.

  "Hush! not so much row," cried Burr. "Go on, Fatty. Now then."

  "All right; wait--"

  But Burr would not wait, for he gave his principal a heavy thrust,sending him forward right on to Tom, who contented himself withthrusting his antagonist back.

  "Oh, I say, that ain't fair," cried Dicksee. "You wouldn't like ityourself. You spoiled my plans."

  "Go on, then, and finish him off; I want my turn." Then there was aburst of eager incitements, and, unable to defer the attack any longer,seeing, too, that Mercer did not mean to begin, Dicksee gave a finaldance, which included a dodge to right and left, and then he rushed inat Mercer, who seemed just to shoot his left shoulder forward with hisarm extended, when there was a dull sound, and Dicksee seated himselfvery suddenly on th
e floor.

  "Hallo! slip?" cried Burr, helping him up,--rather a heavy job,--while alook of perfect astonishment was in the fat face.

  "Yes--boards--awkward," he babbled. "Ca-ca-can't we go on the grass?"

  "No, no. Go in again."

  "Eh?" said Dicksee, with his hand to his face.

  "Well done, Tom!" I whispered; "that's it."

  "It was right, wasn't it?" he said.

  There was no time for more. Incited, almost driven by his second,Dicksee came on again, aimed a blow or two wildly, and was sent downagain by Mercer almost without an effort.

  And now the wind of favour began to change, so that in the next roundboys shouted encouragement to Mercer.

  "Hold that row!" cried Burr savagely; "do you want the Doctor to hear?Now, Dicksee, give it him this time."

  I must do the fat fellow the credit of saying that he now came onfiercely, swinging his arms wildly, and striking out with all his might,but not one blow took effect, and I had the satisfaction of seeing thetriumph of Lomax's instructions, gaining confidence all the while, asTom delivered a blow here and a blow there, and then one which sent hisantagonist down to bump his head upon the boards.

  There was quite a little burst of cheers now.

  "Will you stop that row!" cried Burr fiercely. "Silence! You,Dicksee," he whispered, as he helped his principal up, "if you don't goin and lick him, I'll lick you."

  "Tom," I was whispering, "you're sure to win."

  "Am I?" he said stolidly; "but I don't like knocking him about--he can'tfight at all."

  "Serve him right; he'll remember it in future. Now then. Ready!"

  The pair were facing each other again, and the encounter which followedwas a little longer, but it ended in Mercer giving his adversary a sharpblow on the cheek, and directly after another on the nose, and Dickseeagain seemed to sit down suddenly as if to wipe it, a duty which hadcertainly become necessary.

  "Silence!" cried Burr major, as a burst of cheers followed this lastround, for it was seen that the fat lad did not intend to get up again."Dicksee isn't well to-day; I believe old Jollop has given himsomething." Then in a whisper, as he half-dragged his principal back,"You beggar!" he said; "I'll serve you out for this."

  "Hooray!" cried a small boy at the window; "old Senna has licked--"

  "Will you mind and watch that window," cried Burr. "It's all right,boys; I shall have to dress Jollop down as soon as I've done the groom.Here, Hodson, you must second me."

  "Oh, Tom," I whispered, with my heart beating, "I wish I could fightlike you!"

  "So you can," he replied; "better. Look out, he's ready. Take itcoolly; never mind his show. I wish I was going at him instead of you.I'm nice and warm now."

  "I wish you were," I said.

  "No, you don't."

  The next minute I was facing my tall adversary, who looked down at mecontemptuously, after a smiling glance round at the boys, which seemedto say,--"Now you shall see."

  There was a faint cheer at this, followed by a smothered howl, whichdrew attention to Dicksee, who was now rocking himself to and fro as ifin pain.

  Then there was what seemed to me a peculiarly ominous kind of silence,and I felt shocked and frightened, not so much of my adversary as atmyself. The feeling was mingled with shame, for I began to think that Imust be a terrible coward, and I found myself wondering what my unclewould say if he knew how unfit I was to be trained to become a soldier.

  These thoughts were momentary, long as they take to describe, and Ibegan to wonder whether it would be best to apologise to Burr major, andask him to let me off, but as I thought that, I felt that I could not,and that I would sooner he half killed me. This brought up thoughts ofmy mother's sweet, gentle face, and how she would suffer if she knewwhat was going on.

  Lastly, I began to think I must fight, and that I had better prepare totake care of myself, for Burr major deliberately threw himself into agraceful attitude and addressed me.

  "Now, you young sniveller," he said haughtily, "you have brought this onyourself. I am going to give you a lesson that will teach you to behaveyourself in future, and you too, Senna Tea. You're fond of physic; youshall have such a dose. Mind, you boys, that old Jollop doesn't sneakoff."

  "All right!" rose in chorus; "he shan't go."

  "Mind he don't lick you, Eely," cried one of the boys at the window.

  "Mind Tommy Wilson don't sneak off either," said Burr major. "Allright, Tommy, I can't fight you, but I can stretch those ugly great earsfor you."

  "Ow how! ow how!" cried the little fellow, sparring a peculiar yellingnoise, but indulging in a broad grin to his nearest companion. "Oh, mypoor ears! I say, Burr junior, you lick him, and then you can take careof me."

  I did not speak, for my antagonist had begun sparring at me, makingfeints and trying to throw me off my guard, but, as if by instinct now,I dropped into the positions and practice Mercer and I had been learningso long, and, as I thought, without avail; but I did begin to find outthat it had been good advice to stand on my guard and to let myadversary show-off and tire himself.

  I felt very cool, and not so much alarmed now, when the first blow came,intended for my lips, but which I easily stopped, and so I did anotherand another, the round ending by Burr major making a fierce dash at me,over-reaching himself, and going down without my having delivered oneblow.

  "How slippery these boards are!" said Burr, jumping up.

  "That's right!" whispered Mercer; "keep on as quiet as that, and waityour time."

  Then we began again, and I felt very much disinclined to hit out hard,as I felt that I could have done, for fear of hurting my antagonist--forthe feeling of animosity and the memory of the insults, blows, andannoyance from which I had suffered had faded away. But all at once, aswe stood eyeing each other, Burr's fist came sharply in contact with mylips, there was a dull pain, a sensation of a tooth being loosened, anasty faint salt taste in my mouth, followed by a short struggle, and Iwas thrown heavily.

  Burr major walked back and sat down on his second's knee, smiling roundat the cheering boys, who began to crowd round him, while, as I rose,feeling painful throbbings in one elbow and arm, I was drawn down onMercer's knee, and he whispered,--

  "Never mind. Don't get excited over it. Be quite cool. Now then, he'sready again."

  So was I, for there was a buzzing in my temples and a hot feeling in mythroat as I once more stood up before my adversary, who was stillsmiling contemptuously as he began sparring and then dashed forward, butstopped suddenly, and stood back, shaking his head, while I tightened myhand and saw the blood start from one of my knuckles.

  "Go on, Burr. Give it him. He's nearly done. Go on, go on!" waschorused on all sides; and, looking very vicious now, Burr came at mewith his fists wide apart, and then he rushed at me as if he meantmischief, but to his great surprise as much as to mine, he seemed to runhis nose right on to my left fist, and dropped down on the floor.

  He was up again, though, directly, amid a buzz of excitement, and I feltthat now he was going to avenge himself thoroughly, but, as I struck outwith my left exactly as Lomax had instructed me, somehow Burr major wentdown again.

  It almost puzzled me. I could hardly believe it, but it was forced uponme, and the blows which I seemed to deliver at the right time in themost effortless of ways, had a terrible effect, my antagonist going downthree times to my once.

  And now some of the tide began to set in my direction--the tide ofpopularity. First of all, little Wilson took heart and gave me a cheer,then he began to grow excited, and to cry in an eager whisper,--

  "Well done, Burr junior! Hooray! That's it. Give it him. Hooray!down again."

  Burr major got up, looking fierce as well as confused, and sat pantingon his second's knee; and as I sat on mine, Tom Mercer gave me a hug.

  "Splendid!" he whispered. "Hooray for old Lom! You'll beat him if youkeep quiet. You boys, hold that row."

  There was a hush directly, and we two faced each oth
er once more.

  The confident contempt for me had gone now, and there was no laughinglooking round at the boys for their approval, but, pale, excited, andwith marks beginning to show in an ugly way, Burr major seemed to beprepared to do his best to crush me by a fierce attack.

  For my part, I had been so much hurt that it was as if the shrinking wasall knocked out of me, and I was no less eager to begin than he. But westood facing each other now, with the hum of excitement that greeted ourcoming forward hushed once more to silence.

  I could feel that I might now commence the attack, but my master'slessons all came clear and vivid before me, and knowing that, as theweaker, it was my duty to act on the defensive, I waited, while wewatched each other cautiously, my adversary evidently expecting that Ishould begin.

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

  Everything passed away then for a few moments except sparks dancingbefore my eyes, but I was conscious directly of Mercer's voice, as hewhispered 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 awaydirectly as I rose and faced him.

  Satisfied by the result of his last manoeuvre, he tried it again, butthis time I was prepared, and, stepping on one side, I gave him, orrather 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 onagain, I was able to follow up my blow with three or four more, and thepoor fellow went down crash.

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

  Then we were facing each other again, with all pity and compunctiongone, and, after receiving one or two blows, I forgot everything but thefact that there was something before me that I must hit, and hit it Idid, my deliveries, as it happened, being quite in accordance withLomax's teaching, which somehow came natural to me; and then I foundmyself standing over Burr major who was seated on the floor, and withhalf 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 yougoing to lick old Senna now?"

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

  "Serve you right!" he cried. "Always knocking other people about. Howdo 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 excitedby the fight that one of them flew out, and sent the miserable curstaggering against Mercer's chest.

  Then I stood upon my guard, but the boy only held his hand to his face,while the others set up a cheer, and I turned to Burr major, who wasstill seated on the floor.

  "I'm very sorry, Burr," I said apologetically. "I didn't want to knockyou about so much. You'll shake hands, won't you?"

  He looked up at me with rather an ugly expression upon his face, but hemade no movement to take my hand, only turned away.

  "Help me up, Stewart," he said huskily. "I want to go to my room andwash, and--"

  "What is the meaning of all this, pray?" said a cold, harsh voice, andwe all looked round to see Mr Rebble's white face just above thetrap-door.

  "Burr Major and Burr Junior been having it out, sir," cried half a dozenvoices at once, and the colour began to burn in my cheeks as I met theusher's eye.