“Well, be off, then, at once, before you get another kick.”
“Shan’t!” cried the little fellow, through his set teeth; and a sharp jerk seemed to run through his body as he clenched his fists.
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” cried Slegge, making a stride towards him.
“Run, Burton, run!” cried two or three voices.
“Shan’t!” came again.
“No,” cried Slegge. “He’d better! I’d run him! Here, I don’t want to hurt you, young un. You go and tell them both what I say.”
“Shan’t!” cried the little fellow fiercely, and he looked his persecutor full in the face.
“Hark at him! Hark at the little bantam!” cried Slegge, with a forced laugh. “And look at them, boys. Look at the two slinking off like the curs they are, with their tails between their legs. There, you will be disappointed; there’s no fight in them.”
The big school-hero was quite right certainly as far as one of the pair was concerned, for just then Singh was saying, “Oh, it’s cowardly of you. I can’t bear it. I will go back and have a go at him myself.”
“No, you won’t,” said Glyn sturdily, and he locked Singh’s arm well within his own.