"There"s never been a fellow like Acton in St. Amory"s. He goes away at nine to-morrow. The Great Midland are going to stop their express to pick up St. Amory fellows, and Acton goes up to his place by that. I vote we all go in a body to the station and cheer him off. We keep it dark, of course." This _staccato_ oration was agreed to with acclamation, and Biffenites went to bed happy.
On the morrow Acton strolled into the station and espied the Biffenites, who were scattered up and down the platform with careful carelessness.
The train came in, and at once the juniors crowded _en ma.s.se_ round the carriage in which Acton had secured a corner seat, and stood talking to Grim, who was in fine feather.
At that very moment Phil Bourne and young Jack Bourne bustled into the station. An idea struck Rogers, and he said to all his chums, "Here"s Bourne, you fellows; let him know we see him."
The f.a.gs were delighted, and when Bourne entered the carriage next Acton"s there was a long-drawn-out hoot for his especial benefit.
"Another," said Rogers, whereat more soulful groans.
"The last," said Rogers, and Bourne took his seat to a chorus of hisses and tortured howls. He smiled a little and opened his paper, while the people in the carriage looked curiously at him.
The guard"s whistle went and Acton sprang in. "Good-bye."
As the train moved, Grim said, "Three cheers for Acton!"
"Hip, hip, hurrah! Hip, hip, hurrah!"
"A groan for Bourne!" Acton smiled good naturedly to his henchmen. As he glided past he said to himself softly, "And yet I have not quite hoed all my row out either, Bourne. Wait, my friend, wait!"
[Ill.u.s.tration: AS THE TRAIN MOVED, GRIM SAID, "THREE CHEERS!"]
CHAPTER X
THE YOUNG BROTHER
When St. Amory"s rea.s.sembled after the holidays Acton found himself firmly established in the good graces of the fellows, and, indeed, he was not far from being the most popular fellow in the place, but poor Phil was looked coldly upon by those who had been his chiefest friends, and, by those who knew little of him, he pa.s.sed for a jealous bounder. Acton played up to his cards in beautiful style, and acted the forgiving innocent splendidly; but Phil, who was only a very honest fellow, did not play anything to speak of. Those who gave him the cold shoulder once never had a second chance of showing it him, for Phil was no end proud; but he had still one or two friends, who condoned his pa.s.sing of Acton for the "footer" cap on the ground of "insufficient information" thereon.
Roberts and Baines and Vercoe were not a bad trio to have for friends either. Acton was now in the Sixth, and a monitor.
His main idea was to keep Bourne in the bad books of the school until such time as he could direct their ill-favour into channels favourable to himself and unfavourable for Phil. A lucky chance seemed to open to him an easy method of striking at Bourne, and Acton almost hugged himself with joy at his windfall.
About a week after the holidays Acton had been skating on the Marsh, and as he was returning he came across Jack Bourne engaged in a desperate fight with a young yokel. There was a small crowd of loafers, who were delighted at this little turn up, and were loud in their advice to the fellow to give "the young swell a good hiding."
This little crowd, as I said, caught Acton"s eye, and when he perceived that one of the fighters was a St. Amory fellow, he hurried up to see what was the little game.
Young Bourne was getting the worst of it. The yokel was a year or two older, was taller, and stones heavier. It was an unequal fight. Bourne was standing up to his man pluckily, and, thanks to the "agricultural"
style of the clodhopper, was not taking nearly so much harm as he should have done. He was, however, pretty low down in the mouth, for there was not a friendly eye to encourage him, nor a friendly shout to back him up.
On the contrary, the mob howled with delight as their man got "home," and encouraged him: "Gow it, d.i.c.k! Knock the stuffin" out of "im!"
Acton had not been noticed, but he thrust himself into the mob, and said, "Stand back, you little beggars, or I"ll ma.s.sacre the lot of you.
Give the boy room, you filthy pigs!" The "pigs" scuttled back, and for the first time Bourne really had fair play.
Acton took out his watch and a.s.sumed the direction of the fight.
"Time!" he shouted out. "You fellow, that"s your corner, and if you stir out of it before I give the word I"ll thrash you within an inch of your life. This will be ours, Bourne." He strode in between the two, and pushed the yokel among his friends, whilst he dragged Bourne a little apart.
"Thanks awfully, Acton. That beast knocked me off the path into the snow-heap when he saw I was one of the school. I struck him, but he"s a big handful."
"Don"t talk, Bourne," said Acton, grimly. "It"s only wasting breath. Keep cool, man, and you will pull it off yet."
Thanks to Acton"s encouragement, young Bourne worked along ever so much better, so that when time was called he had taken no damage practically, but had scored a little on his own account.
"Sit down on my coat. You"re doing famously. Whatever you do, don"t let him swing you one in the face. You"ll be snuffed out if you do. Keep him out at any cost, and try an upper cut after he swings. Waste no time after he"s missed."
But although young Bourne scored no end in the next few rounds by following Acton"s advice, his good efforts seemed wasted. The lout"s face was as hard as a butcher"s block. Acton saw that Bourne was visibly tiring, and that it was an almost foregone conclusion that in the end he would be beaten. He could hardly stall off the fellow"s attack.
After the seventh round Acton saw that he must put all to the touch, or Bourne would lose. "Listen carefully, young "un. You"re jolly game, and that"s a fact, but there"s no good hammering on the fool"s face--he can"t feel. You must try another trick. It"s the last in your box, too, Bourne, so make no mistake. St. Amory"s for ever! When he swings, duck. Don"t try to ward him off--he"ll beat you down. Then, for all you"re worth, drive home with your left on the jaw. On the jaw for all you"re worth. You"ve seen the sergeant do it dozens of times in the gym. Keep cool, and look when you hit--on the very peak. Understand?"
"Rather!" said Jack, coolly but wearily.
"Time!"
The yokel came on in all the pride of his beefy strength, for ha knew that he was going to finish the "swell" this round. He swung. Bourne ducked, and then, quick as lightning, the lad closed in, and, with the last ounce he had in him, drove his left on the jaw. He was true to a hair.
"_Habet!_" shouted Acton. "Don"t give him time, Jack. Send him down if you can."
Bourne"s "point" had the usual effect; the lout"s head swam, he felt sick and sorry, and could not even ward off Jack"s blows. He backed, Jack scoring like mad all the time, and when Acton finally called "time!" he dropped on to the ground blubbing. The fellow"s eye was visibly swelling, his lips were cut, and his nose bled villainously.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ACTON THREW HIM INTO THE SNOW-HEAP.]
"The pig bleeds," said Acton, cheerfully. "You have him now, Bourne; he"s too sick to have an ounce of fight left in him. Time!"
The next round wasn"t a round really; it was a procession, with Bourne, as fresh as paint from his success, following up the other blubbing with rage, pain, and sickness. Before Acton called, the fellow dropped to the ground and howled dismally.
"Get your coat, Jack, and then come here. He"s done. Stand back, you others."
Jack came back.
"Now, you pig, get up and apologize to this gentleman for having knocked him into the snow-heap. I suppose your pig"s eyes couldn"t see he was only half your size." Acton got hold of the fellow by the collar and jerked him to his feet. "Apologize."
The fellow would not understand; he snivelled obstinately, and struggled aimlessly in Acton"s grasp.
"Apologize."
"I wown"t."
"Good," said Acton, grimly. With his flat hand he gave the fellow a thundering cuff which sent him sprawling. Acton then caught him by the scruff of his neck and threw him headlong into the snow-heap.
"Come along, Bourne," he said, with a smile. "You have fought a good fight this day, and no mistake. That fellow will have a fit the next and every time he sees the smallest St. Amory"s f.a.g"s cap."
"I say, Acton, you"re an awful brick to back me up like that."
"Don"t mention it, Bourne. Come and have some tea with me, and I"ll pour oil into your wounds, or at any rate, I"ll paint "em."
So young Bourne had tea with Acton, and his host went out afterwards to Dann"s the chemist"s and brought back a camel"s-hair brush and some lotion. Thanks to this, Jack"s scars appeared as very honourable wounds indeed.