“Now, you two,” he cried, “what have you got to say for yourselves?”
“Nothing,” I said.
“More have I,” cried Mercer defiantly.
“Oh, very well,” said Burr major. “More cheeky than ever. What shall I do, boys? give ’em stick or let ’em stand up and take it?”
“A fight, a fight!” rose in chorus.
“All right. I’ll dress the groom boy, and Dicksee shall give the other chap his dose.”
A curious sensation of trouble and bewilderment came over me, as I gave a quick glance round at the bare loft, with its cob-webbed windows and eager little crowd of boys, all expectant and flushed with desire for the scene.
“Ah, look out! he’s going to bolt,” shouted Hodson.
“I wasn’t,” I cried indignantly.
“He’d better,” said Burr major, coolly taking off his jacket and beginning to fold it up and lay it on the bin. “Now then, major-general of cavalry, off with your duds. I won’t keep you long. Just time before dinner.”