The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 10: what you’re looking at

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4 THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN? to the fact that they all knew his dis- position and habits. Baynes ordered a glass of sherry at the bar, muttering something about “ low beer-drinking fellows.” “Do you mean that observation to apply to me ?” asked Fitzgerald, who, with Egerton and the others, had been indulging in some bottled stout. _“T mentioned no names,” replied the bully. | | “So much the better for you,” ob- served Egerton. | “<Why ?” ‘‘ Because if you had spoken of me in such terms, I should have— “Hush |!” interposed Fitzgerald, in a loud whisper; “‘don’t quarrel here, whatever you may do when you arrive at Lexicon College.” For a few moments there was silence, then the door of the refreshment-bar was pushed open, and a ragged urchin, some ten or eleven years of age, crept in. “What do you want ?” inquired Baynes, roughly. The dark blue eyes of the tattered boy almost filled with tears, and his cheek flushed, at being thus abruptly addressed. For a few moments he seemed unable to speak. Egerton, however, spoke to him more kindly, and then he replied— “‘T am very hungry, and I can’t get anytling to eat unless I steal.” “Which you know how to do well enough, I'll be bound,” said Baynes. “Out of this, you young ruffian, or you ll be robbing some of us.” ‘Shame |” exclaimed Egerton. Baynes, however, took no notice of the exclamation, but gave the poor boy a hearty slap on the face, with intent to hasten his departure. *“‘ You deserve to be well thrashed,” shouted Fitzgerald. “I should like to know who is able to do it,” replied the bully, aiming another blow at his victim, who, how- ever, avoided it,andran behind Egerton. “I can,” said the last-named indi- vidual. | _ And, suiting his action to the words, he laid hold of Baynes by the collar of his coat, and with his walking-cane administered a sound castigation, to the great delight of Marsuam and the others. The operation was continued for some seconds, till the guard of the train came in and separated them. | “Come, gentlemen, can’t allow no fighting ‘ere,’ observed he. “It’s ‘gainst the bye-laws; you can settle it when you gets down to the college.” “ And I will settle it with a venge- ance,” growled Baynes, as he moodily walked away, and ordered another glass of sherry to heal his bruises. “‘T shall be very happy to give you an opportunity of doing so whenever you please,” answered Egerton, amid cries of “ Bravo ! Served him right !” ““ But let me see,” continued Frank, addressing the cause of this dispute. “ You said you were hungry. Take this pork-pie and pitch into it.” “What a lark it would be take this youngster down to Ballsbury!” said Marsham. “ What could we do with him there —or, rather, what could he do?” asked Fitzgerald. ‘He could make himself useful.” “In what way ?” “ Why, I am going to have a couple of terriers down, and as old Whackley won't let them be kept within the boun- daries, I shall want some one to look after them, I'll give him five shillings a-week,” “‘ He can look after my rabbits, too,” observed young Webber, a boy who, for some time past, had devoted him- self to the consumption of buns, “That will be five bob more.” “What say you, youngster? Will you go? or don’t you care to leave your parents ?” asked Fitzgerald. “I don't know anything about my parents, sir, and I should be very glad indeed to work for any of you—except He glanced timidly at Baynes, who A) COMM OO) EO mn