"Oh no, sir; I am quite satisfied here, where I have been so long, but--"
"Well, Mr Rampson, what is it? You wish me to increase your stipend?"
"No, sir, I do not; but I don't want to suddenly find myself supplanted by another master through the machinations of a brother-teacher."
"Don't speak angrily, Mr Rampson. Pray, who has been trying to supplant you?"
"Well, sir, I am a blunt man, and I have come to speak out. I am afraid that Morris--why, I know not--has been introducing this Professor Barclay to you to try to get him in my post."
"Indeed, Mr Rampson!" said the Doctor, with a smile. "Well, then, let me set you at your ease at once. Morris did not introduce this gentleman, for he came to me with an introduction from one of the professors at Addiscombe, a gentleman I do not know from Adam. I find that he has been for a few months a resident in the town here, where he is carrying on some study. Morris seems to know him a little, and tells me that he has visited him two or three times at his apartments. I questioned him as to who the man was, and his antecedents, which seemed to be satisfactory. I did so after his presenting his letter of introduction and some testimonials. I thought that it would be only civil to ask him to dinner and explain to him that it was perfectly hopeless for him to expect anything from me; and, in short, one feels a little sympathetic towards a cultivated gentleman who is seeking to obtain an appointment in a none-too-well-paid profession. So now you see, my dear Mr Rampson, that you have not the slightest cause for uneasiness."
"Dr Bewley," cried Rampson excitedly, "you don't know how you have relieved my mind!"
"I am very glad, Rampson; and let me take this opportunity of telling you that--Bless my heart! what is the meaning of this?"
"Of what, sir?" cried Rampson, startled by the speaker's earnestness.
"Look over yonder beyond the elms. Scandalous! Disgraceful! And after all that I have said! I will not have it, Rampson."
"But, sir, I--"
"Don't you see that there's a fight going on? Just as if it were a common school. Come with me at once."
The Doctor set aside his stately march and hurried out through the open window, bare-headed, and closely followed by his assistant.
There, through the elms and close up to the grey park-fence beyond, the whole school seemed to have assembled, and plainly enough at intervals there was the quick movement of two contending figures, while the clustering boys around heaved and swayed as they watched the encounter, quite forgetful in their excitement of the possibility of their being seen from the house.
Dr Bewley did not run, but went nearer to it than he had been since he wrote DD at the end of his name and gave up cricket; while before they were half-way across the cricket-field Mr Rampson was emitting puffs suggesting that the motive-power by which he moved was connected with a modern utilisation of steam.
So intent was the little scholastic crowd beyond the row of tree-trunks which with the park-palings beyond formed the arena, that not a head was turned to see the approach of the masters and give the alarm. The consequence was that the latter were getting close up and able to make out that a fierce fight was going on between Slegge and Glyn Severn, the former seconded by Burney, the latter by the young Prince.
There was no shouting, no sound of egging on by the juvenile spectators, only an intense silence, punctuated by a hoarse panting sound, the trampling of feet, and the _pat, pat_, of blows.
The last of these was a heavy one, delivered right from the shoulder with all his remaining force--for the boy was pretty well exhausted--by Glyn Severn; and it was just as the Doctor was filling his capacious chest with the breath necessary after his hurried advance to deliver a stern command to cease fighting. But before he uttered a word his biggest pupil came staggering back towards the ring of boys on the Doctor's side, and as they hurriedly gave way down came Slegge flat upon his back at the fresh-comer's feet.
After delivering his final blow, Glyn Severn nearly followed his impulse, and had hard work to check himself from falling flat upon his adversary. As it was, he dropped only upon one knee, rose again painfully, and stood with bruised and bleeding face gazing blankly at his stern preceptor, who now thundered out in his deepest tones, "What is the meaning of this?"
At the sight of the Doctor a thrill ran through the little throng; and, moved as by one impulse, there was the suggestion of a rush for safety.
But the thunderous tones of the Doctor's voice seemed to freeze every young abettor in his steps.
"Do you hear me, sirs?" cried the Doctor again. "What is the meaning of this?"
It was the smallest boy of the school who replied, in a shrill voice full of excitement, conveying the very plain truth:
"Fight, sir. Tom Slegge and one of the new boys."
"Silence!" thundered the Doctor. "You know my rules, and that I have forbidden fighting. Here, somebody, one of the high form boys--you, Burney, let me hear what you have to say. Speak out, sir. Ah, you have been seconder, I suppose?"
"Yes, sir," faltered the lad, whose hands showed unpleasant traces of what he had been doing.
"Ah," continued the Doctor.--"Mr Rampson, see that not a boy dares to move.--Now, Burney, let me hear the whole truth of this from beginning to end. No suppression, sir, from favour or fear. I want the straightforward truth. Who began this disgraceful business?--Stop! Mr Rampson, here. Is that boy Slegge much hurt?"
"A bit stunned, sir, and stupid with his injuries, but he's all right, sir; he's coming round," and in proof thereof Slegge, with the assistance of the master's hands, struggled to his feet, and stood shaking his head as if he felt a wasp in his ear, and then promptly sat down again.
"Now, Burney," cried the Doctor, "speak out. Who began this?"
The boy addressed glanced at the Doctor and then at Slegge, while his lips parted; but he uttered no sound.
"Do you hear me, sir?" roared the Doctor.
"Big Tom Slegge, sir," came from the shrill little fellow who had before spoken.
The Doctor frowningly held up one big white finger at the little speaker, who shrank back amongst his fellows.
"I saw that look of yours, Burney," said the Doctor sternly, "and I read its meaning, sir. It seemed to appeal to your older schoolfellow, one of the principals in this disgraceful encounter, asking him if you might speak out. I'll answer for him. Yes, sir; and beware lest you, as a gentleman's son, lower your position in my eyes by making any suppression. What was the cause of the quarrel?"
Burney's face was working, for after the excitement of the fight and its sudden ending he felt hysterically emotional, and in a broken voice the truth came pouring forth.
"I can't help it, sir, and if he bullies me afterwards for speaking I must tell all. Slegge's been jealous of both the new boys ever since they came. He's been as disagreeable and spiteful as could be, and forced us all to take his side."
"Yes, yes; go on," cried the Doctor, for the boy stopped with a gasp; but he spoke more calmly afterwards. "He's been working it up, sir, for a fight for days, out of jealousy because he thought more was made of Singh and Severn than of him."
"Indeed!" said the Doctor, nodding his head.
"And when it came, sir, to them having such a fuss made over them about their riding the elephant, and you asking them afterwards to dinner, it was bound to come."
The boy stopped, and the Doctor turned to the classical master.
"Do you hear this, Mr Rampson?" he said, in his most sarcastic manner, the one he adopted towards the most stupidly ignorant boys. "I presume then that I ought to ask Mr Thomas Slegge's permission before asking the two new pupils to my board."
"Yes, sir," burst out Burney, who had gathered breath and had now got into the swing of speaking. "It was bound to come, sir. Slegge said he should do it, and I can't help it if I do seem like a sneak for telling all."
"Go on, Burney," said the Doctor. "I'll be the judge of that."
"Well, sir, he told all us seniors to be ready for the first chance there was. He said--"
"Who said?" interrupted the Doctor. "Let us be perfectly correct."
"Slegge, sir. He said we were to be ready, for he was going to begin by giving the nigger fits."
"By giving the nigger fits?" said the Doctor slowly. "And, pray, what did he mean by that?"
"Licking Singh, sir; the new boy from India, sir."
"Oh," said the Doctor sarcastically. "But he has not been giving the nigger fits."
"No, sir; next day he changed his mind, and said he'd let Severn have it first."
"Have it first?" said the Doctor slowly. "Your language is not very correct, Burney. But go on."