“Then, as you don’t accept my offer, I must force it upon you.”
Walter, who now stood beside Peter’s desk, seized him suddenly by the collar, and by a quick movement, jerked him into the aisle between the desks. Peter had not anticipated this. He was astonished and indignant beyond measure. The smile of triumph faded from his face, and his features were distorted with rage.
“You’ll be sorry for this!” he screamed, adding an oath, which is better omitted. “I’ll pay you up for it.”
He knew how to fight after his style, and prepared to “pitch in” in his customary manner. Walter had drawn back a little, so as to be clear of the desks, and Peter followed him up. He aimed a blow at the young teacher’s head, which would have been likely to give him a headache, but Walter had assumed an attitude of defence, and fended it off with the greatest ease. Peter quickly followed up the blow by another quite as vigorous. But this again was warded off. Walter did not immediately act offensively. He wished before doing so to show Peter that his own efforts were futile. In proportion as Peter discovered the ill success of his attempts to hit his opponent, his rage became more ungovernable, and he began to curse and swear. At length, when he felt it to be time, Walter retaliated. One swift, well-planted blow, which Peter was utterly unable to ward off, and the troublesome pupil found himself lying upon his back on the floor of the schoolroom.
Walter remained standing, a little flushed, but otherwise calm, and made no attempt to prevent Peter’s rising. Peter was not a hero, but he was not altogether without pluck, and he was up again quickly and ready to renew the contest.
Walter held himself in readiness, but did not speak. He wished this to be a decisive battle. “I will give Peter all the chance he wants,” he said to himself. “He must find out once for all that I am more than his match, and then he will cease to trouble me.”
Peter pitched in again, but he was unable to profit by the lessons he had learned. He saw that the teacher was more scientific than himself, but feeling that in strength he was quite his equal, he did not understand why he could not match him. He tried to grasp Walter around the waist, which would, of course, have given him a decided advantage, and neutralized Walter’s superior science, but our hero was too wary for this. Taking advantage of Peter’s unguarded state, he planted another heavy blow, which, like the first, prostrated his opponent.
The scholars looked on with intense interest. Not one except John Wall sympathized with Peter. Not one was sorry to see the insolent boy receiving his deserts. Some of the better class had feared that the new teacher would prove unequal to the encounter, but a very short time undeceived them. When Peter went down a second time there was a stamping of feet, intended as applause.
“Be kind enough not to applaud,” said Walter, turning to them. “I am glad your sympathies are with me, but I hope you will not mortify your schoolfellow, who, I hope, will some time be ashamed of the course which he is now taking.”
This manly request raised Walter still higher in the opinion of his pupils. They saw that he had no desire to triumph over Peter; that he was only influenced by the desire to maintain his authority. When Peter had renewed the contest, and again been thrown, Walter addressed him calmly: “If you wish to keep on, Peter, I will accommodate you, but you must know by this time that you stand no chance of success. I know something of boxing, and it is clear that you do not.”