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.D'ye hear?"The last words were accompanied by a pretty severe kick, and at the sametime a slipper from another quarter came in contact with my head.This wasrather too much for my endurance.I suspended my devotions, and jumpedup and faced my tormentors."Look here, I'm not interfering with you, and I don't see any reason whyyou should interfere with me.""Oh! you don't, don't you, young Praise-God-Barebones.And if we don'tquite see it in that light, what does your reverence propose to do? Tell theDoctor, or write home to your ma, I suppose!"The sneering tone in which the last words were spoken made me forgetdiscretion."No," I retorted, "I never tell tales.I leave that sort of thing tocowards and bullies, like you."The retort was not very neat, but it was appreciated."Take that, you young devil, for cheeking your betters," replied Gunter,giving me a sounding slap in the face."And there's plenty more where thatcame from.""Take that to put to it then," I said, hitting out in return, and striking thebully on the mouth."What, you dare strike me, you venomous little reptile! You had better sayyour prayers again, my young friend, for what you are going to receive,which is the biggest thrashing you ever had in your life."I squared up, determined to make the best fight I could.I never doubted thatI must ultimately be licked, for my antagonist was a couple of years older,and far taller and heavier than myself, but I was determined that at any ratehe should not have an easy victory.In the first round or two I fought on thedefensive; but I found, to my great surprise, that, thanks to the Major'sinstructions and my frequent sparring practice with Peter, the advantagewas in reality on my side, both in skill and endurance.My antagonist hadno notion of straight hitting, but charged at me with his head down, tryingto reach me by semicircular sweeps, after the "natural man" school ofboxing, which in our own case the Major had taken so much pains toeradicate.I found that I had only to keep my guard well up to protect myhead with perfect ease, while Gunter left his headpiece perfectly exposed,as if actually inviting me to hit it.I found, too, that he was no match for mein point of training.After a couple of rounds he began to puff and blow,while my dumb-bell and other exercises had left me, in sporting phrase, "asfit as a fiddle." I must admit that my first thought was self-congratulation athttp://thelearnedpig.com.pa/magos/books/conjdick/008.html (6 of 11) [4/23/2002 3:36:50 PM]Chapter VIthe prospect of giving the bully the thrashing he had so kindly promised me.But as I gradually became more and more confident, a feeling came overme that it would be a poor sort of victory, after all.Accordingly I took theopportunity of a momentary pause in the contest, to drop my hands, andsay,"Look here, Gunter, we may as well stash it.I don't mean to be cocky, but Iknow more about boxing than you do, and I tell you fairly I can lick you.Come now, just let me alone, and I'll let you alone." Gunter, however, wasfar too angry to hear reason."You impudent little beast!" he exclaimed, and making a sudden dashforward struck me in the face unawares.This was too much.At it we wentagain, hammer-and-tongs, Gunter hitting in his semicircular fashion, andmore wildly than ever, scarcely guarding his head or chest at all.After hiscowardly blow I no longer felt inclined to spare him, and he was gettingseverely punished, while I had scarcely a bruise.At last I caught him with astraight left-hander full on the chin.The blow was delivered with right goodwill, and it knocked him on to a bed which chanced to be behind him, andover the other side.He picked himself up again, looking very crestfallen,and showed no inclination to resume the contest."Do you intend to leaveme alone for the future?" I asked.He made no answer, save a savage grunt,and sitting down on his bed took a wash-hand basin, and began to bathe hisface, which was a good deal damaged by the encounter.His fall had made atremendous noise, and I was hardly surprised to see the door open, and theVice-Principal, Mr.Macarty, walk in
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