RICHARD DOES A "BIG THING," AND TAKES THE CONSEQUENCES.
In the language of the "prize ring," Nevers was still able to "come to
time;" therefore Richard could not be regarded as the victor in the
fierce contest. The boys who formed the ring began to scatter as soon
as the coming of the assistant teacher was announced. But they helped
the combatants to clothe themselves, and used every effort in their
power to conceal the fact that a fight had taken place.
"A drawn battle," said one of the students.
"Grant," said Nevers, "I am far from being satisfied. At five o'clock,
if you are ready, we will finish this business."
"With all my heart," replied Richard, wiping the blood from his nose.
"I hope you will do so," said the bully, earnestly.
"You hope I will! Do you suppose I will not? I am willing to be put
under bonds to appeal at the time named, Nevers. If any body backs out,
I shall not be the one."
"I am sure I shall not."
"Good!" shouted the boys.
"Now, keep still, fellows," added Nevers. "Don't say a word about it,
or all the fun will be spoiled."
The spectators of the barbarous spectacle all promised to keep still,
and Richard moved over to a brook behind the grove to wash the blood
from his face. His opponent had sundry very bad-looking places on his
physiognomy, but no blood had been drawn.
By this time Mr. Gault made his appearance in the grove; but so well
did the boys play their parts, that he did not even suspect that any
unusual event had transpired. Some of them commenced a game of "tag,"
and played with such zeal that no one could have suspected they were
not in earnest. Others engaged in conversation, and those who had
followed Richard to the brook resumed their labors upon the dam and
water wheel.
Mr. Gault had no particular motive in visiting the grove. He was merely
taking a walk in the discharge of his duty, which included a general
supervision of the boys on all the grounds. But Richard kept out of his
way, fearful lest his swelled face should betray him, and thus prevent
the final settlement of the account. He felt like a victor already, for
he was perfectly confident that his superior science and coolness would
give him the battle.
I am sorry to add that he did not think of the good resolutions he had
made; or, if he did, he banished the thought as inconvenient and
uncomfortable. He really believed that he had been deeply injured by
the bully of the Institute, and if he did not regard it as a positive
duty to obtain satisfaction, he at least felt that such a course was
perfectly justifiable.
Nevers was the bully of the school. Weak and timid boys were obliged
to submit to his insults. He had won the position of the "best man" in
the school, and he employed his power in playing the tyrant. Richard
felt that he must either whip him, or acknowledge him as his superior,
and submit to his rule.
The element of pride also had a powerful influence upon his mind.
Bailey had told him that Nevers could whip any fellow in the Institute;
and it followed, of course, if he could master him, he should at once
become the champion of the ring. Richard regarded this as a proud
distinction, and he was quite willing to have a battered nose and a
swelled face in the achievement of such an honor.
More than all this, Richard was animated by the generous sentiment
that, in fighting and whipping the bully of the ring, he became the
champion of the weak and the timid, who dared not resent the insolence
of Nevers.
When he had washed his face and stopped the bleeding, he followed the
course of the brook, till it emptied itself into the river, which was a
small stream some four or five rods wide. He was attended by Bailey and
two or three other boys, who had suddenly conceived a very great
admiration for him. If he was not the victor in the fight, he had the
advantage, and he had already partially entered upon the enjoyment of
the honors which would be bestowed upon the conqueror of Nevers.
A short distance above the mouth of the brook, the river received the
waters of the beautiful and picturesque Tunbrook Lake. The Institute
grounds bordered upon it for some distance, and great was the
satisfaction of Richard when he saw several boats, which his companions
informed him belonged to the school. There was a large schooner-rigged
sail boat, two twelve-oar race boats, besides three smaller craft. He
felt at home here, and inquired particularly whether the boys were
allowed to use these boats. They were only permitted to sail in company
with some of the instructors.
The boys were exercised in rowing on Saturday afternoons, when the
regular sessions of the school were suspended, and also upon the
occasional holidays which were granted. The lake was seven miles long,
by about two in breadth, so that there was abundant sea room. While
they were examining the boats, and viewing the beautiful lake, the
signal bell in the tower of the Institute school room sounded its
warning peal, and summoned them to study and recitation.
"How does my face look, Bailey?"
"Not very bad."
"Do you think Gault will smell a mice when he hears my lessons?"
"I don't see why he should."
"I guess I can stave him off if he does," added Richard, confidently.
"Didn't you see me tumble down when that fellow chased me?"
"What fellow?" asked Bailey.
"Any fellow you please," replied Richard, with a knowing smile.
"I didn't see any fellow chase you," added Bailey, innocently.
"Can't you see through a millstone when there is a hole in it?"
"Of course I can."
"Don't you see what I mean?"
"No, I don't."
"If Gault asks me how I hurt my face, I will tell him a fellow was
chasing me, and I tumbled down. Of course all the rest of you saw it."
"But I don't see it," persisted Bailey.
"Don't you, indeed! Then I think you ought to have a pair of leather
spectacles."
"O, I know what you mean, but I don't believe in lying about it."
"Ah, then you are a military saint--are you?" said Richard, with a
sneer.
"All but the saint," laughed Bailey. "I don't think there is any use in
lying about it."
"Then I suppose you think it was very wicked of me to fight with
Nevers."
"No, I don't," answered Bailey, promptly and decidedly. "Nevers is a
bully, and he insulted you. My father always told me never to take an
insult, but he would thrash me for telling a lie."
"Well, Bailey, I believe you are right. I think it is mean to tell a
lie; but how shall I manage it?"
"Face the music. A fellow who can stand such a pounding as you have
had, wouldn't mind being punished."
"I don't like to be punished."
"I don't know as the colonel would punish you. If a fellow gets up a
fight, he has to take it; but if he only defends himself, he says he
does no more than his duty."
"Well, who got up this fight?"
"That's the point. Nevers insulted you, and you pitched into him. I
don't know which is most to blame."
"We will leave it to the powers that be, and not bother our heads about
the question. I won't lie about it, any how."
By the time this point was settled the boys had reached the school
room. Richard applied himself with zeal and patience to the labors of
the afternoon, determined to do his whole duty. When called out to
recite, Mr. Gault noticed the swelling upon his face, and at recess
asked him what had caused it.
"It was done in a little affair out in the grove sir," replied Richard.
"What kind of an affair?"
"Nevers and I had a little set-to," said Richard.
"Rather rough play, I should think," added Mr. Gault, as he struck the
bell for the work to be resumed.
Richard congratulated himself that he had escaped, and, as he thought,
without telling a lie. He told none with his lips, but his manner was
such as to assure the teacher that the affair in the grove had been
nothing but friendly sport. Deception, or wilfully misleading another,
for the accomplishment of a purpose, is, in our opinion, just as
culpable a falsehood as gaining the same end by a lie expressed in
words. But Richard had not come up to this standard.
At the close of the school session, Richard hastened to the grove, as
did all the boys who were in the secret of the fight. Nevers was on the
ground soon after him, and the arrangements for the fight were hastily
completed. A line of scouts reaching from the parade ground to the
grove was stationed at convenient distances to give warning of the
approach of any of the teachers. The ring was formed, and Richard
coolly divested himself of all superfluous clothing, and prepared with
the utmost care for the desperate encounter.
Nevers was ready sooner than Richard, for he was not so precise in the
arrangement of his garments. As he took his place in the ring, though
he stood strong and defiant, there was a kind of nervousness in his
manner, which might have been detected by a keen observer.
"Come, Grant, we shall not get to work to-day, if you don't hurry up,"
said Nevers, his lip curling into a sneer.
But it was the bully in him that spoke. He had a reputation to sustain,
and he was saying and doing all he could to ward off any imputation
upon his courage.
"In one moment, Nevers," added Richard.
"You are as particular as though you were going to a ball," continued
Nevers.
"I suppose you are too much of a man to bawl, whatever happens; so
there won't be any," replied Richard.
"We shall have the colonel and all the teachers down upon us, if you
don't get fixed soon."
"I'm all ready," said Richard, throwing himself into the attitude of
the pugilist.
"Come on, then."
Richard edged up to his antagonist, and after considerable sparring,
the fight commenced in good earnest. Nevers was too much excited to use
all his strength to the best advantage, for the first hit he received
seemed to make him angry. In the first round Richard had the advantage.
In the second, Nevers knocked him down; but he was not at all
disconcerted. The heavy blows he received did not appear to disturb his
equanimity, while his opponent worked himself up into a towering
passion. The fight went on for ten minutes with varying results. At one
time all the spectators were sure that Nevers would win, and at another
they were equally sure that Grant would be the victor.
The anger of Nevers exhausted him more than his tremendous efforts.
Both parties had been terribly punished, but Richard was still cool and
self-possessed. At last Nevers became desperate, and rushed upon his
foe, determined at one effort to crush him. He was furious, and
abandoned all the science he had brought to his aid, and apparently
depended entirely upon brute force. The consequence was, that he laid
himself open to his cool rival, and Richard rained a series of
tremendous blows upon his head, which carried him under. He fell
heavily upon the ground, and lay there incapable of moving.
Richard, though his nose was bleeding, and he could not see out of one
eye, seated himself on the ground for a moment, till he had recovered
his breath, and then took his place in the ring.
"Time!" cried the friends of Richard.
But Nevers could not "come to time." He raised himself partly up, but
sank back again, incapable of making the effort to rise.
"Come on!" said Richard, as he sparred a little with his fists to
assure the spectators that he was "game" to the last.
Nevers made no reply, and Richard was declared the victor by his own
friends, and the proposition was admitted by those of his prostrate
antagonist.
"I am satisfied," added Richard, as he picked up his clothes, and made
his way down to the brook, attended by an admiring crowd.
When Nevers recovered his breath, he rose from the ground, and his
companions helped him down to the water, where he was bathed by his
sympathizing friends. Both of the combatants were severely though not
seriously injured.
"What's to be done now, fellows?" asked Richard, when all that cold
water could do for him had been done. "I suppose we are all in a bad
scrape."
"That's so," replied several. "We will stand by you, Grant, as well as
we can."
"I am not exactly in condition to appear at dress parade," added
Richard, turning his head round, so as to bring his available eye to
bear upon his companions.
"You are better off than Nevers, who is first sergeant of Company D."
"Can't we keep out of sight till we get our eyes open, as little
kittens do?"
"Roll call before dress parade," suggested Bailey.
"Can't some fellow answer for me? I will spend the night in the cabin
of the sail boat on the lake. It won't be the first time I've slept in
a boat."
"That won't do. Better face the music, Grant."
"But I shall be punished for this affair. I don't----"
"Colonel Brockridge is coming!" was the word passed down the line of
scouts, interrupting Richard's remarks on the subject of punishment.
"What shall I do?"
"Don't do any thing, Grant," said Bailey. "You are sure to be found
out, whatever you do. If you run away, it will be all the worse for
you."
Richard, after a moment's reflection, was of the same opinion, and he
decided to take the consequences, whatever they might be.
"What does all this mean?" demanded the colonel, sternly, when he saw
the swelled face of Richard.
"Been a fight, sir," replied several of the boys.
"Between whom?"
"Nevers and Grant."
"Nevers and Grant will report forthwith in my office," said the
principal, as he walked back to the Institute.