Ernest Bracebridge Part 15

Tell Eden to watch you--never for a moment to lose sight of you, and directly he sees Blackall attack you, to come up and tell me--I'll have all our fellows ready, and we'll rush to the rescue."

"Oh, excellent," exclaimed Bouldon, rubbing his hands; "I wish that he'd just begin trying it on. Won't I aggravate him by what I say and do; I'll tell him my mind more than he ever before heard it in his life."

"No, no, don't enrage him; that's not right," observed Bracebridge; but Tom, as he went off, shook his head as if he intended to follow his own ideas on the subject.

While Bouldon, followed at a distance by Eden, strolled about the playground and fields as usual, hoping that Blackall would meet him, Ernest went round to a number of boys who had combined with him to resist any aggression which the big fellows might make upon their rights, and told them to keep together, some in the gymnastic court, and the rest in the fencing-room. Meantime he and b.u.t.tar, and a few others on whose judgment he most relied, met together and consulted as to the best course to pursue under the present emergency.

"I've an idea," said b.u.t.tar; "let us get some ropes and bind our tyrant.

He dare not interfere with me now, but I am determined that he shall not treat others as he treated me."

Some ropes were easily found which had been used to lash up their play-boxes. Ernest and b.u.t.tar were to be the leaders. Ernest went to the fencing-room to take command of the boys there; b.u.t.tar to the gymnastic court. They did not remain there idle. One company began twisting and turning and leaping on the poles, while Ernest got his followers to practise with their basket-sticks and single-sticks. Then he proposed a drill, and they all fell in and went through their exercises with as much precision as if Sergeant Dibble himself had been present. They marched and wheeled, and formed in close order and extended order, and various other simple manoeuvres, in very good style.

While they were thus engaged, Eden rushed into the room, exclaiming, "Blackall has caught Bouldon, and is half-killing him; he says that he will teach him to disobey his orders. Haste--haste, or I really believe he will do him an injury. I never saw a fellow in such a rage."

No one needed a second summons. Bracebridge put himself at the head of his companions, who kept their ranks, and, marching out in good order, they met the party in the gymnastic court, whom Eden had likewise summoned.

"Double quick march," cried Bracebridge; and the two bands rushed on towards the extreme end of the grounds, where Eden told them the bully had encountered poor Tom. The spot towards which they were hurrying was separated from the rest of the grounds by a thick coppice. Several tall trees grew about it, and it was by far the most secluded place in the grounds. It was a favourite resort in the summer time of some of the more studious boys, who went there to read, and, at other seasons, Gregson and a few other boys, who were fond of the study of natural history, used to go there to search for specimens, as Tom Bouldon used to say, of bird's nests, beetles, bees, and wild flowers. Blackall, also, and two or three of his cla.s.s, occasionally retired there, but neither to read nor to study natural history, but to smoke and to drink, when he could procure liquor. Bouldon ascertained that he had gone there on this occasion, and, anxious to bring matters to a crisis, went round that way, pa.s.sing directly in front of him.

Blackall, who was sitting alone by himself, looking at the gra.s.s, saw his shadow slowly pa.s.s along before him. Lifting up his lack-l.u.s.tre eyes, they fell on Tom. He immediately started up, and seized him by the collar. "Ah, my fine fellow, I've caught you at last, and all alone. I wanted to find you, and now I'll pay you off with a thras.h.i.+ng which you will remember to the end of your days."

Bouldon looked up and down to see if anybody was coming to his help. He had missed Eden, who had, however, seen him through the trees in the hands of Blackall, and then scampered off as fast as his legs would carry him, his imagination somewhat supplying the particulars of the thras.h.i.+ng which had not even yet begun. Bouldon struggled hard to release himself when he found that Blackall had got hold of his collar, for he had no wish to become a martyr unnecessarily, as he knew from experience that his persecutor hit very hard and cruelly whenever he had the power.

"I'll give you a chance yet," said Blackall. "Will you f.a.g for me, or will you not?"

"Most certainly not," answered Tom, firmly. "I'll see you at Jericho, and ten thousand leagues further, rather than lift a finger to obey one of your commands. There, you've got my answer."

"Then take that," exclaimed the bully, bestowing a thundering lick on poor Tom's ear. "How do you like the taste of that? Will you obey me now?"

Blackall generally played with his victims as a cat does with a mouse before destroying it.

"Not I," answered Tom briefly, compressing his lips.

Another heavy box on the ears followed close upon this answer.

"Will you now?" again asked Blackall.

"No," bawled out Bouldon.

Several cuffs and blows now descended on his head and shoulders. Again Blackall asked him if he would f.a.g. Bouldon did not deign to answer.

"Do you hear me? Are you deaf?" thundered out the bully.

Bouldon made not the slightest reply to this question either by word or look. The consequence was that the bully began striking away at him right and left, till Tom felt that he was getting very severely punished, and he could not help wis.h.i.+ng that some relief was at hand.

He struggled as much as his strength would allow, and at last, forgetting all the rules of prudence, he broke away, and instead of endeavouring to escape, he clenched his fists and struck at the bully in return. The consequence was, that he was soon knocked down on the gra.s.s. He was not very much hurt, so when he saw Blackall about to kick him, he sprang up in time to avoid the blow.

"Ah, you arrant coward, to think of kicking a fellow half your size when he is on the ground!" he exclaimed, standing at a distance, however, so that he might have time to leap out of Blackall's way. Under any circ.u.mstances he would not have deigned to run; that is not the fas.h.i.+on of any English boys I have ever met. On the contrary, he was anxious to keep near Blackall, and to spin out the time till his friends could arrive to his a.s.sistance. He would particularly have wished them to find him on the ground, and Blackall engaged in kicking him. Of course Tom's look, and att.i.tude, and words very much increased the exasperation of the latter, who now, springing after him, caught him again by the collar, and began pummelling him with all his might about the ribs and head, till his face was one ma.s.s of b.u.mps and bruises. Still Bouldon would not cry out for mercy, or give in. Whenever he had an opportunity he broke away from his persecutor, and once more stood on the defensive, returning, when he could, blow for blow. He was soon, however, again knocked down with a blow on the forehead, which almost stunned him. He saw the bully advancing with his foot to kick him.

"Oh, don't, don't; you'll kill me," sang out poor Tom, who really did dread the force of the big fellow's heavy shoe, given with the full swing of his leg.

Blackall heeded him not, and would have executed his barbarous purpose, had he not that instant felt a heavy load fall down on his back, and a pair of arms encircling his neck. He had once before been treated much in the same manner, but who or what his present a.s.sailant was he could not tell. The nails were long, and the hands not a little grimy, while the knees of his a.s.sailant kept pressing his ribs in a most unpleasant manner. Blackall's look of horror showed that he fully believed that he had been seized by a big baboon, or some monster who might strangle him.

"Now at him again, Tom, and don't let him go till he has promised never to attack you more," said a voice, which Blackall recognised as that of Gregson.

However, Tom was this time too much hurt to get up, and he lay moaning on the gra.s.s, anxiously wis.h.i.+ng that some one would come to his rescue.

Gregson had, it appears, been up in a tree hunting for young squirrels and various insects. He had remained a spectator of the fight for some time, thinking that he could not do much good by his interference.

When, however, he saw how hard it was going with Tom, he resolved to go to his help. Descending a tree, he climbed along one of the lower branches, from the end of which he had easily dropped down on the bully's back. There he clung, like the old man of the sea who clung to the back of Sinbad the sailor. But, as I have said, Blackall was a very powerful fellow, and after he had got over his terror at this sudden a.s.sault, he used every means to get rid of his a.s.sailant. He could not shake him off; and Gregson did not flinch from all the pinches and blows behind his back which he received. At last, Blackall bethought him of backing against a tree. Unfortunately for the young naturalist, one with some stout branches grew near, and Blackall backed up to it, till he b.u.mped it with such force that he very nearly broke both his back and his head, and he was very soon fain to let go. No sooner was he on the ground than the bully vented all his fury on him, and knocking him over with a blow of his ox-like fist, kicked and cuffed him till he was even in a worse condition than Bouldon.

"I'll teach you to play your pranks on me, you young scoundrel," he exclaimed. "However, you could not have chosen a better place, for there is no one likely to come here to interfere with us, and I intend to pay you both off in a way you will not fancy, let me tell you that.

My fists are rather heavy, so I do not intend to use them, lest I should kill you outright, but I have a colt about me, of which you shall now have a taste." Saying this, the bully pulled out of his pocket a piece of hard rope, covered from one end to the other with hard knots.

Seizing poor Gregson, who lay on the gra.s.s even more hurt than Bouldon, Blackall dragged him along, and placed him near his friend, and then flouris.h.i.+ng his formidable colt, was about to make it descend first on the back of one and then on that of the other of his victims, when a loud shout arrested his arm, and, looking up, he saw from both ends of the glade a strong body of boys, in military order, advancing towards him.

"Hold your hand, you big coward. If you dare strike either of those fellows, well not leave a particle of skin on the flesh of your back, let me tell you," shouted a voice in a loud tone.

One of the parties was led by b.u.t.tar, the other by Bracebridge. The latter had spoken. b.u.t.tar uttered a similar caution; but Blackall, seeing that only younger boys composed the approaching bands, and fancying that they would not venture to interfere with him, resolved for very pride not to desist from his purpose, and down came his weapon on the backs of the two prostrate victims of his tyranny. It was equivalent to a declaration of war to the knife.

"On, on, on," shouted Bracebridge and b.u.t.tar.

Their followers required no second appeal.

"Remember what I told you," shouted Ernest--"Each man to his duty."

The bully turned round and gazed, first on one side and then on the other, at the approaching bands. He was observed to turn pale, even though he flourished his colt above his head, and uttered loud threats of vengeance against any who might dare to approach him. A scornful laugh was the only answer he received, as the two bands advancing in double quick time completely surrounded him, and then with a shout threw themselves upon him. Some seized his neck, others his arms, and others his legs, in spite of his kicks and blows, while others pa.s.sing a rope round his body he was speedily tripped up and hauled down to the ground.

He swore, and shouted, and threatened more loudly than ever.

"Gag him, gag him," suggested b.u.t.tar. "Don't let the fellow talk blasphemy."

"I'll half murder you some day for this, you b.u.t.tar, you," cried the bully, glaring fiercely at him.

"Pooh, pooh," was all b.u.t.tar deigned to reply. "Here, quick, a handkerchief, and that piece of wood."

The materials for the gag were handed to b.u.t.tar, and though the bully made several attempts to bite his fingers, he succeeded in most effectually fixing a gag in his mouth. Still Blackall struggled furiously; but though not one of his a.s.sailants was half his size, they succeeded in dragging him to a tree, to the trunk of which they secured him with the rope they had pa.s.sed round his waist. Then they lashed his hands as if he was clasping the tree, with his face to the trunk, while his ankles were placed in a still more uncomfortable position.

"He cannot abuse us, or kick, or strike, but he can see," suggested some one.

The hint was forthwith taken, and he was quickly blindfolded.

"We will draw lots to settle who is to colt him," said Ernest. "You understand, my friends, that it will be better he should not know who have been his executioners."

Lots were forthwith drawn with some ceremony. Four boys were chosen, and they, nothing very loth, began to flourish the very weapon with which he had just been striking their friends.

When Ernest and his party came up they found Bouldon and Gregson on the ground, both of them so much hurt as to be scarcely able to rise.

Ernest with two or three other boys, having seen Blackall safely secured, went to attend to them. They got water from the pond and bathed their temples, and undid their s.h.i.+rt collars, and in a little time set them up on their legs. As may be supposed, the first use they made of their restored strength was to go and watch the proceedings taking place with regard to Blackall. Their feelings revolted at the thought of thras.h.i.+ng one who had been so lately ill-treating them. They felt that had they done so, they would naturally be accused of being influenced by vindictive feelings; whereas they wished that he should understand that; the thras.h.i.+ng he was receiving was a lawful punishment for the cruelty he had so long inflicted on others. The boys who had been selected as executioners set to work very much in the fas.h.i.+on of young boatswain's mates on board of a man-of-war. After one had given five or six strokes another came on, till at last some one declared that he had fainted. So he had, but it was chiefly through rage and indignation. However, they took the gag out of his mouth, but the first use he made of his restored power of speech was to abuse and threaten them so dreadfully, that they came behind him and again clapped the gag into his mouth. In vain he struggled. He was too securely bound to get free. Ernest had learned, as every boy should, how to knot and splice properly, and was unlikely to allow any slip knots to be made. When Blackall showed that he was completely recovered, the boys who had been appointed to flog him, once more made ready to go on with the operation, but Ernest stopped them. His feelings revolted at thus punis.h.i.+ng a school-fellow, however richly he might have deserved punishment, who had been rendered so utterly helpless.

"Stay," he cried out. "He has had enough to show him what we have the power of doing, and the pain he has suffered may teach him in future not to inflict pain on others. Take the gag out of his mouth, and let us hear if he will promise to behave properly in future towards all the younger boys of the school, to beg pardon of Bouldon for his unwarrantable attack on him, and especially that he will promise to abandon his absurd attempt to f.a.g any of the boys of the school. You hear what has been said, Blackall. Will you consent to these terms?

Take the gag out of his mouth and let him answer."

Blackall had heard every word that was said, and had he been wise, he would have yielded to the force of circ.u.mstances; but instead of that, he began as before to abuse and threaten Ernest and b.u.t.tar, and all the boys whose voices he recognised, and to declare that he had a perfect right to f.a.g one and all of them if he chose.

"The gag! the gag! Treason! treason!" was the reply, accompanied by loud laughter from all the party.