Ballou's Monthly Magazine, Vol. XXVII, No. 1 — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Old Hugh's Look-off. 87 sent me. helped it.” ‘I guess you will wish so in earnest before you get through here,” ejaculated Reg, laugh- ing triumphantly. “ You come to our school! That’s a queer piece of business. What right have you to come here among gentlemen’s sons ?” “If you are a gentleman’s son, you do not behave jike one,” retorted I; whereupon a few boys in the silent but eagerly attentive group laughed a little, which seemed to anger the fellow extremely. Ife flung them one or two angry glances. “Humph! I guess I know who wont go with me on the next cruise of the Nautilus,” I wish to goodness I could have He caine round like a tiger, and sprang at me, his eyes gleaming with rage, his cheeks purple. I stood back a little, and I wont say that my heart didn’t beat like a trip-hammer, but I kept myself calm on the outside. I hadn’t been through the rough and tumble of the common school, without knowing that a boy who lost his self-command lost the battle always, or, at least, the one who kept cool gained the respect of the lookers-on. Besides, I had measured him that day on the beach, and guessed, although he was taller than I, that his aristocratic and dainty rearing had weakened his muscles, and that in a close scramble my tough, work-strengthened arms had, by far, the best advantage. MAURY’'S FIRST BATTLE. muttered he. And the boys who had laughed looked suddenly blank. Then he turned to me and shook his fist. * Now look here, you chap, you may as well back out in the commencement. I tell you we are all gentlemen’s sons, and we wont liave any charity fellows among us. I know you, for I took pains to hunt you up, and you live in thag mean little cottage on the cliff, beyond Fisherman’s Lodge. And I say you have no right to come amongst us, and I wont have it.” “And T say that Iam going to the academy door, and vou may just stand out of my way,” answered I, giving him a sudden shove, which sent him whirling out of my path. “Tam no fighter,” said I; “but I can look out for number one, and defend myself against insult. Now I wish to go to the school- house.” And with my head pretty straight, I imag- ine, I walked on. The first I knew there came a tremendous blow in my back, which nearly drove the breath away from me. I turned around just in time to ward off a second, and secing there was no use in dodg- ing the matter, I threw down my satchel and began to practise some scientific evolutions, which Jim Sands the pugilist had taught my friend, Joe Stephens the big fisherman, who, in turn, had imparted the valuable informa: tion to me. The result was, that. Master comiiclooolkks.cor