"Oh, mercy—mercy!" cried Dobson. "Oh, don't flog me, sir! I won't do it any more, and it was all Elgert's fault."
Elgert looked at him in scorn. If he must be flogged, he would crave no mercy. He would show them that he did not care. But flogged! A gasp went round as the school porter and the man who kept the lodge came in. It was useless to resist, though Dobson kicked and struggled, and shouted in his anger and fear. The Head laid aside his gown, and took the rod; and then the sound of the hissing cuts came. Dobson was the first victim, and with the strokes came the yells—awful yells, for the Head did not spare him in the least, and Dobson plainly found himself in a very uncomfortable position.
He was released at last, and then Elgert—the Honourable Horace Elgert—took his place. He bit his lips until the blood came, but he would not cry out. But oh, how he hated Ralph Rexworth then! If he could have hurt him—if he could have killed him, he would not have cared what they did to him afterwards.
It was over at last. And he stood breathless, smarting, a mist before his eyes, until he caught sight of Tinkle's fat face; and he thought that Tinkle was grinning.
Then, rage overcoming him, not thinking what he was doing, he rushed at the little fellow, and, had not Warren been near to prevent it, he would have knocked him down.
And then, Head or no Head, Marlthorpe lost its calmness, and the boys sprang up, and surged forward at the two offenders—angry boys, with menacing eyes. Elgert's courage failed him then. He turned and ran, and Dobson went after him. In vain masters shouted, and the Head rang his bell. In vain Kesterway rushed after them. Not another monitor paid any attention. Out into the playground they streamed, and around it they chased the two boys.
Around they went. They drove them to the small pond, and threw them in. They dragged them out, and hustled them, dripping and breathless, to the gates. The Head had no need to expel the pair.
As Elgert and Dobson were thrown out a little party approached the gates; and from its number, one boy darted forward to throw himself between the two miserable victims and their pursuers, and that boy was Ralph Rexworth himself.
"Here, I say, drop that! It is not fair!" giving Warren a shove backwards. "It isn't the right thing! Drop it, you fellows! And look out, here comes the Head!"