rton-Single combat-The decid

ow to extricate himself. His thoughts, however, soon flew to his mother. He knew that there he would find comfort, that there, at least, he would be believed. So carefu

of persecution. But after rumaging about among the boxes kept in the lobby, his patience was at length rewarded. There, in a corner, was the missi

ut him, he heard a burst of voices that bore no pleasant meaning; and then a body of tenn

see who were his assailants, and there he saw about twenty boys, mostly of his own age and size, in

s was now turne

s!" he cried, "what

prize by cribbing,

, who had not stirred from wher

n," cried one of the bigger boys; and then

cowards too," he cried, coming nearer the crow

e a coward?" cried one after the other-the bigger boy

u say I cribbed, when I didn't. And

boy was eager to take the quarrel to himself. "I'll teach him. Now, you young br

y boy of fourteen, as boy after boy was eager to t

me nearer, and shook his fist in his face. "I

echoed, "Better not hit him, indeed! Give him a good l

from sheer astonishment at having actually to fight when he thought to administer an easy licking, began the combat at rather a disadvantage. Both hit very wildly at first, and not much damage was done

word all this time had been uttered by the on-lookers. They would not back Harry; and to cheer on

n came up; and Harry could scarcely believe his ears, when one voice alone came out of the crowd, cheering

his remaining force into one blow, hit his foe on the jaw: at the same instant Warburton slipped, and the blow

pbell! well fough

se uttere

stfallen, Harry picked up his books, and shaking off Egerton's congratulations and

and had learnt a lesson, which the rest had learnt too, that meek-hearted boys may be