"Silence! 'Tention! Now then, again. Wait a minute. Now, look here,
Burr: as he hits at you, stop it with your right arm as you did before,
and just at the same moment you push your left arm out full length, and
lean forward straight at his face. Don't hit at him, only keep your
left out straight and lean forward suddenly--like this."
He showed me what he meant, and I balanced myself on my legs, and
imitated him as well as I could, to get the swing forward he wished, and
we prepared for the next encounter.
"I'm going to hit straight out this time, Frank, so look out."
"Oh yes, he'll look out," cried Lomax. "Now, then, take it on your
right arm, my lad. Off with you."
Mercer struck out at me awkwardly, and, as I received the blow at my
chest full on my forearm, I bent forward sharply, not striking, but
giving what seemed to me to be a push with my stiffened left arm
straight at Mercer's face, when, to my great astonishment, he went down
on the floor and sat there staring at me holding the soft glove up
against his nose.
"What did you do that for?" he cried angrily. "He said I was to hit,
not you."
"Because I told him," said Lomax, patting me on the shoulder. "Bravo,
bravo! That was science against brute force, my lad; I thought it would
astonish you."
"But he hit ever so hard," cried Mercer, "and it took me off my guard,
because it was I who was to hit."
"And so you did, my lad, as hard as you could unscientifically, while he
only just threw himself forward scientifically, and there you are on the
ground."
"But he hit so hard."
"Oh no. He just held his arm right, and threw the weight of his body
behind it."
"Here, let's change sides," cried Mercer. "I want to try that."
"Right," said Lomax, and the proceedings were reversed, with the effect
that, after I had struck at my adversary, I realised that I had thrown
my head forward just as he had thrust out his rigid left arm, backed by
the whole weight of his body, and I in my turn went down sitting, almost
as much astounded as Mercer had been.
"Oh," he cried excitedly, "that's grand! I wish I had known that when
old Eely was giving it to me t'other day. Why, I feel as if I could go
and lick him now."
"I daresay you do," cried Lomax laughing. "Now, let's have that over
again. I want you both to see that a swing round blow, or even a
straight out blow, is nothing to one like that, for you see you've got
the weight of the body and the speed at which you are both moving to
give it force. Why, in a charge, when the men were at full gallop with
swords or lances extended, we had--But never mind about that," he added
quickly. "Now do you see what I mean?"
"Yes," we cried, and we went through the attack and defence over and
over again, till the blows grew so vigorous that I began to feel as if I
should like to hit harder.
"That will do," said Lomax suddenly. "You are both getting warm, and
it's half-past six."
"Nonsense!" I cried.
"It is, my lad; there goes the bell. Now then, let me untie those
gloves. That's your first lesson. What do you think of it?"
"Think of it?" cried Mercer. "I think old Eely Burr had better mind
what he's up to, or he'll find he has made a mistake."
"Hah!" said Lomax, "don't you get too puffed up, my lad. You wait, for
you don't know anything at all yet. That's just the thin end of the
wedge, but still I think you've learned something. That's it," he
continued, drawing off the gloves. "By and by you'll have to fight
against me, and I shall show you a few things that will startle you.
But are you satisfied?"
"Why, it's glorious!" I cried.
"What? to learn to fight with your fists?" said the old sergeant grimly.
"No, but to feel that you need not let everybody bully you."
"Why, you're getting as swollen up as Master Mercer here," said Lomax,
laughing. "There; when is it to be--to-morrow morning?"
"Yes, every morning," said Mercer, and the door was unbolted, and we
went out, feeling quite hot enough, with the sun shining brightly on the
newly dew-washed leaves.
"You'll spoil everything," I said, "if you begin to show that you can
fight before we are quite ready."
"Oh, but I'm not going to," he replied; "I'll be as quiet as can be, and
let old Eely say and do what he likes for the present. I feel as if I
can bear it now. Don't you? There, come along up into the loft, and
let's see if we can find our ferret. It does seem hard to lose that
directly. Just, too, as one finds one has been cheated by old Magglin.
I wish he'd sell that gun. I say, I'll make him show it to you. It is
such a handy little thing."
I felt that it would be very interesting to go out, as Mercer proposed,
shooting specimens, which he would afterwards show me how to skin and
preserve; but I could not help thinking that it would take a rather
large supply of pocket-money to pay for all the things my companion
wanted, especially if his wants included guns and watches.
We went right up to the loft, and a search was made, and the floor
stamped upon, and the boards tapped. But there was no sign of the
ferret, and we gave up the search at last in despair, as it was rapidly
approaching the time when the bell would ring for breakfast, and we had
our lessons to look up ready for Mr Hasnip, who now had us, as he
called it, thoroughly in hand.
We both smiled and looked at one another as we crossed the yard, for
Burr major and Dicksee had come past together, the latter listening
attentively to his companion's words.
"Oh, I say, Burr, if they only knew!" whispered Mercer, with a chuckle.
"They little think that we've been--Oh, I say, look; he's taking out his
watch to see if it's right by the big clock. Frank, I say: I do wish I
had a watch like that!"
I looked at him wonderingly once more, for that watch had completely
fascinated him, and till breakfast-time he could talk of nothing else.
"Think your uncle would give you a watch if you asked him?" he said.
"I shouldn't like to ask him, because--well, I'm rather afraid of him."
"What, isn't he kind to you?"
"Yes, I think so," I said; "but he's a severe-looking sort of man, and
very particular, and I don't think he'd consider it right for me to have
a watch while I am at school."
"That's what my father said when I was home for last holidays. I wanted
a watch then, but not half so bad as I feel to want one now. I say!"
"Well?"
"I wonder how much old Eely's father gave for that one. I don't think
it could have cost a very great deal."
I shook my head, for I had not the least idea, and then I found myself
watching Burr major, who was still comparing his watch with the great
clock.
"I won't think about it any more," said Mercer suddenly.
"Think of what?" I said wonderingly.
"That watch. It worries me. I was dreaming about it all last night,
and wishing that I'd got it somehow, and that it was mine. And it
isn't, and never can be, can it?"
"No," I said, and we walked into the big room, for the breakfast-bell
began to ring, and very welcome it sounded to us, after being up so
early, and indulging in such violent exercise.
"Here comes Eely," whispered Mercer, "and old Dicksee too. I say: that
punch with the left! Oh my!"