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"Bother the elephant!" cried Singh irritably, for this early waking from a comfortable sleep had soured his temper. "All right; bother him, then," replied Glyn, who was wonderfully wakeful now; "but it seems to me that he's going to bother us. I say, Singhy, the Doctor said he wouldn't let Slegge keep that fox-terrier dog he bought a month ago."
As Slegge saw the result of his kick to the heavy lid, he stepped quickly forward and thrust in his right hand to withdraw the bat; but he uttered a yell, for the great cover rebounded and came down with a bang, sending one of the little fellows skimming out of the shed to get round to the back so that his laughter should not be seen.
He only laughed, threw down the jacket, and began slapping Severn on the back; and he seconded him, sir, quite fair and square all through, just as if he knew all about fighting, though he is a nig Indian, sir. And there was a tremendous fight, till, after being a good deal knocked about, Severn was getting it all his own way, and finished off Slegge just as you came up, sir.
But it was in vain, for Glyn's bowling played havoc with their wickets, and Singh stumped out all four of them in their two innings, three in the first and one in the second; while, when the Plymborough lads went to the wickets, Slegge playing his slogging game as soon as he got well in, and then after Burney had had a very fair innings, Slegge was joined by Glyn, and these two, amidst burst after burst of cheers, kept piling up the score till, with one unlucky cut, Slegge sent the ball up like a rocket, to travel far away, and then be cleverly caught out by long-field-off.
The boys were silent, staring at the speaker, for they did not catch the point of the remark; and Slegge continued: "You see, I set great store by that turban. It was an old one of my father's, and of course it was very valuable.
"Yes, sir," said Burney; "and they have gone out of bounds." "Will you keep your mouth shut?" whispered Slegge; and, dropping a pace behind the master, he clenched and held up one fist very close to Burney's nose as if it were a curiosity that the boy might like to see. "Ah, well," said Mr Morris, "perhaps they thought that it would be the safest place behind the elephant's keepers.
And that's the whole truth. Isn't it, boys?" There was a chorus of the word "Yes," and the Doctor drew a deep breath as it came to an end. Then he uttered the interjection "Hah!" looked very searchingly at Slegge, scanning the injuries he had received, and afterwards made the same keen examination of Severn. "Disgraceful!" he said at last, shaking his head and frowning.
By a tacit understanding with the Doctor, Glyn was excused from lessons during the clearing out of the well, and spent his time watching the emptying of every bucketful as it was wound slowly up; and it was put about by Slegge that Glyn had been planted there by the Doctor to keep the juniors off for fear any of them should tumble down.
"Well, sir, he told all us seniors to be ready for the first chance there was. He said " "Who said?" interrupted the Doctor. "Let us be perfectly correct." "Slegge, sir. He said we were to be ready, for he was going to begin by giving the nigger fits." "By giving the nigger fits?" said the Doctor slowly. "And, pray, what did he mean by that?" "Licking Singh, sir; the new boy from India, sir."
"I will show you what I mean if you come with me. I don't suppose you want the other fellows to hear it." "I don't care," said Slegge. "Some cock-and-bull story you are hatching, Severn." "You wrote that letter," said Glyn abruptly, and his voice sounded husky with the emotion and rage that were gathering in his breast. "Letter? Letter? What do you mean? Has one come for me by the post?"
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