“Hold him down tight, or I shall hurt him,” said Burr major contemptuously.
But his words came too late, for Mercer made a sudden heave, which threw the boy on his chest off sidewise, sprang up into a sitting position, and hit out at the boy on his legs, who howled on receiving a crack on the ear; and this so roused me to action that I too wrested myself free and followed suit. I flew at Dicksee, and struck him full in the breast, sending him in his surprise down in a sitting position, just as Mercer struck our tyrant a sounding smack on the cheek.
Burr major staggered back and held his hand to his face.
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” he said with a snarl. “All right, boys, Senna Tea wants me to boil him up again.”
“You stand by me, Burr junior, won’t you?” cried Mercer, who looked now as if he were a little startled at his daring.
“Yes,” I said desperately, though I felt horribly afraid.
“Oh no, you don’t,” said Burr major, taking off his jacket; “I don’t want to knock your silly head off. You wait till I’ve thrashed Master Physic, and then old Dicksee shall give you your dose.”
I saw Dicksee look at him with rather a startled aspect, but Burr major took no notice beyond giving him a contemptuous glance, as he neatly folded up his jacket, and then removed his waistcoat.
“Here, Bill Ducie, go down and shut the stable door, and lock it inside,” continued Burr major in a lofty tone; “we don’t want to be interrupted before we’ve polished off these two beggars.”
The boy ran down, and it sounded very formidable to hear the door bang and the rusty lock turned.