The Thorogood Family, R. M. Ballantyne [ebook reader library .txt] 📗

forced into a better state of mind, though I did not forgive him for lecturing me.

“It chanced that I received a lecture also, the same evening, from our master.

“‘Jacob, my boy,’ he said, laying his large hand gently on my head, ‘you ought to give more attention to your studies, and try to be a better boy. You’ve got the elements of a smart man in you, but a man must be made, Jacob. If a lad grows up without any self-training he is generally fit for nothing, and only a trouble to society. You’re fond of your mother, I think—are you not?’

“‘Yes, sir,’ said I, in some surprise at the question.

“‘Then you would be sorry to give her pain, I know, and your present course of conduct is sure to do that if you don’t mend. You would be sorry to see your mother take handfuls of her small income and fling it into the sea, would you not?’

“‘Of course I would, sir,’ said I, still more surprised.

“‘Well, you have caused her to do that, for your school fees might as well have been flung away for all the good you have done hitherto. But come, I’ll say no more just now. I feel sure you will try to do better. You have only got to try, asking God to help you, and you’re certain to succeed. I expect to be proud of you yet, Jacob. There, be off and play.’

“I was somewhat touched by this brief reproof, but not humbled. The lecturing tone assumed by Turner still rankled, and a feeling that I deserved severer treatment than I received, made me worse. I resolved to harden my heart; and from that date became more mischievous and domineering as well as idle—if possible. I saw that the master was grieved, but did not care.

“One day in autumn, some of us were sitting on a rail swinging our legs and chatting. Turner was not there, but little Spinks was.

“‘I tell you what,’ said I, referring to a remark made by one of the boys, ‘I think it is not only contemptible to try to learn one’s lessons, but ridiculous.’

“‘I’d rather learn them than get whacked,’ said one.

“‘Well, I would rather get whacked than learn them,’ said I; ‘besides, of what earthly use are Latin and Greek, I should like to know?’

“‘Fellows can’t get along in the learned professions without them,’ said a boy whom we named Tiddler. He was a follower of Turner, and usually kept pretty near him in the class.

“‘Very true,’ said I, with a look of mock respect; ‘but as none of us intend to enter the learned professions except Doctor Tiddler and Professor Turner, we don’t want Latin or Greek; what we want is fun.’

“‘Hear! hear!’ burst from Spinks, who was an impressionable little fellow, and easily influenced for good or evil. His exclamation was so genuine and heartfelt that there was a general laugh, and one of the boys suggested that, as little Spinks did not mean to go in for any of the learned professions, they should elect him ‘Professor of Fun.’ This was unanimously agreed to.

“‘But, come,’ said I, jumping down, ‘we must not spend all the evening here idling. What shall we do?’

“‘Go an’ study Greek,’ said the newly-elected Professor of Fun; a suggestion which was received with a shout of derisive laughter.

“‘I should like to have some of old Maggie’s apples for supper,’ said I.

“‘But who’s to crib them?’ asked a large-headed boy, whose appearance reminded one of a tadpole.

“‘Little Spinks, of course,’ said I. ‘Come, be off—and be sure that you take good ones. I’ll follow, and watch to see that no mischief happens to you.’

“‘It’s a shame to rob the poor old woman,’ said Tiddler. ‘I’ll have nothing to do with it. I’m sure that Tom Turner would object if he were here.’

“‘Oh! you needn’t come if you’re afraid,’ said I, with a sneer; ‘and if there are any other cowardly Turnerites here, they may join you. Whoever has got pluck will follow the Frees. Lead on, Spinks!’

“The greater number of the boys followed me; and from that date the school was divided into two sections—Turnerites and Frees.

“We went straight to the back wall of old Maggie’s garden, and I helped little Spinks over, desiring him to gather a capful and fetch them, and then he could return for more if thought desirable.

“My enemy Turner was fond of old Maggie, and frequently went to see her and have a chat. It chanced that he was visiting her on the evening we had decided to steal her apples. While sitting beside her, listening as earnestly to a prolonged and graphic account of the old woman’s troubles as if he had been the minister of the parish, he chanced to look out of the window, and saw a boy descending one of the apple-trees. One of old Maggie’s troubles was the stealing of her apples by village boys. She had dilated extensively on the subject and aroused her friend’s anger. With a burst of indignation, he rushed out, and caught little Spinks in the act of making off with his second capful of apples.

“‘What! Spinks? I should not have expected this of you,’ said Tom, releasing my little victim.

“‘I didn’t want to do it,’ whimpered Spinks; ‘but I couldn’t help it. I—’

“‘Yes, yes; I understand. Who was it that set you on?’

“‘Please, I don’t want to tell.’

“I am convinced that brave little Spinks would have refused to tell to the end of the chapter, but I saved him further trouble. Wondering, as I stood behind the wall, what kept him so long, I shouted, ‘Come along, Spinks; look sharp!’

“‘Oh! I know now who did it,’ said Turner. ‘Go, my boy. I’ll relieve you of the apples.’

“So saying, he carried the apples to the owner, and Spinks came and told me what had occurred.

“‘I’ll thrash Tom Turner for this,’ I said bitterly, as we returned to the school.

“For some time past I had made up my mind to fight him. On several occasions I had proved myself to be possessed of a little more bodily strength than Tom; and as regarded endurance and pluck, I felt quite at ease on these points.

“Opportunity soon offered. One day I was up a tree, bird-nesting, in one of the lanes near our school. I had flung down my books at the foot of the tree before climbing it. Just as I laid hands on the nest, in which there were four eggs, I heard voices below, and looking down, observed Turner, Tiddler, and Tadpole passing.

“‘I wonder what careless fellow has flung down his books in that fashion,’ said Tom.

“‘I am the careless fellow!’ I shouted. At the same time I flung the nest straight into his upturned face. The result was better than I had expected; for it hit him fair, and the four eggs, bursting on his forehead, poured over his eyes and nose.

“This was received with a shout of laughter by the other boys. I leaped to the ground, strode up to Tom with doubled fists, and asked if he would fight me.

“‘Not if I can help it,’ said Tom, quietly wiping his face.

“Amazed at his forbearance I scarce knew how to act. At last I said, sneeringly, ‘I never quite believed you to be a coward until to-day.’

“‘Whether I’m a coward or not is, perhaps, doubtful; but I came under a promise not to quarrel with you if I could avoid it, and you see, Jacob, I’m trying to keep my promise, though it’s not easy.’

“‘Perhaps that will make it less easy,’ I said, suddenly fetching him what was meant to be a slap in the face; but by a prompt withdrawal of his head he let my hand pass. Instantly I fetched him another slap with the left hand, but he caught my wrist, and stopped it.

“‘Come, Jacob,’ said he, in a rather stern voice, ‘I will fight you, but it must be done in the regular way, on the green.’

“Satisfied with this, I left him, to prepare for the encounter.

“The green was a level piece of turf close to school, beside a stream, which, at that place, was formed into a deep pool by means of a mill-dam. We had named the pool the black hole. It was the scene of all our school fights. In class that day I was unusually quiet, for I could not help thinking of the impending fight. I felt that it would be a hard one, though I never for a moment doubted the result. To keep my mind off the subject I applied myself to my lessons, and acquitted myself in a way that gratified the master and amazed the boys.

“The fight was to come off after school hours. The boys assembled with high expectations, something unusually ‘stiff’ being anticipated, and they were not disappointed.

“I was on the ground with my friends and backers before my adversary appeared.

“‘Don’t make too much of a burst at first,’ said one boy; ‘play with him till you see what he’s made of.’

“‘I’d advise you to go in for sloggin’,’ said another.

“‘Yes, knock the wind out of him at once,’ said Tadpole; ‘he’s an English fellow, you know, and may bother you with science.’

“As he spoke Tom appeared. He walked smartly towards me, with his usual pleasant smile on his face, and held out his hand.

“‘Come, Jacob,’ he said, ‘shake hands, and let us give up this affair. Why should we fight? I am quite willing to admit that you are cock of the school, and have no desire to give or receive black eyes. Besides, you injured me more than I injured you, so that you’ve no occasion to bear malice.’

“‘You called me a careless fellow,’ said I, hardening myself, and looking fierce.

“‘Well; but I did not know at the time that you were the owner of the books.’

“‘No matter, you came here to fight, and so did I. Don’t let us waste more words.’

“‘Truly he suffereth long,’ cried one of the boys, with a sneer and a laugh, quoting from the Bible, which, it was well known, Tom Turner read daily.

“‘I am taught,’ said Tom, turning gravely to the last speaker, ‘as far as lies in me, to live peaceably with all men. I have tried to do this, and find it impossible to live peaceably with Jacob Free—therefore—’

“He stopped, pulled off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and threw himself into the pugilistic attitude.

“We did not trouble ourselves about ceremony in that school. We had neither seconds, bottles, nor sponges. I went at him at once, and, remembering the advice of Tadpole, made a tremendous blow at his face. Tom scarcely moved a muscle; he merely put his head a little to one side and let the blow pass. Like lightning I delivered my left. Tom let it pass in the same way. Surprised and maddened I sent in another blow, lunging to my full extent. He merely drew back from the waist and the blow fell short. At the same moment I received a tap on the bridge of my nose which raised a host of stars in my imagination. In short, I found myself at the mercy of a well-trained boxer. Perceiving this I grew desperate, and sprang at my adversary with the intention of grappling him, but he stepped lightly to one side and I shot past him. This would have been a trifling matter had we not edged rather near to the river. In my blind rage I went head-foremost into the deep pool, already mentioned as the black hole. I could not swim. I rose with a gurgling cry and sank again. Turner knew that I was drowning. He was a splendid swimmer, and instantly sprang in and caught me, but I seized him round the neck and dragged him under, while the boys shouted in consternation on the bank.

“Their cries soon brought assistance, but, ere it arrived, we