The Amateur Gentleman

"Run! Run!" whispered Mr. Shrig's voice behind him. "Ve can do it now,

--run!"

"No!" panted Barnabas, wiping the blood from his cheek. "Run!"

cried Mr. Shrig again, "there's a place I knows on close by--ve can

reach it in a jiff--this vay,--run!"

"No!"

"Not run? then v'ot vill ye do?"

"Make them!"

"Are ye mad? Ha!--look out!" Once more the echoing passage roared

with the din of conflict, as their assailants rushed again, were

checked, smote and were smitten, and fell back howling before the

thrust of the nobbly stick and the swing of the heavy bludgeon.

"Now vill ye run?" panted Mr. Shrig, straightening the broad-brimmed

hat.

"No!"

"V'y then, I vill!" which Mr. Shrig immediately proceeded to do.

But the scowl of Barnabas grew only the blacker, his lips but curled

the fiercer, and his fingers tightened their grip upon the bludgeon

as, alone now, he fronted those who remained of the nine.

Now chancing to glance towards a certain spot, he espied something

that lay in the angle of the wall, and, instinctively stooping, he

picked up Mr. Shrig's little book, slipped it into his pocket, felt

a stunning blow, and reeled back, suddenly faint and sick. And now a

mist seemed to envelop him, but in the mist were faces above, below,

around him, faces to be struck at. But his blows grew weak and ever

weaker, the cudgel was torn from his lax grip, he staggered back on

stumbling feet knowing he could fight no more, and felt himself

caught by a mighty arm, saw a face near by, comely and dimpled of

chin, blue-eyed, and with whiskers trimmed into precise little tufts

on either cheek. Thereafter he was aware of faint cries and shouts,

of a rushing patter like rain among leaves, and of a voice speaking

in his ear.

"Right about face,--march! Easy does it! mind me 'ook, sir, the

p'int's oncommon sharp like. By your left--wheel! Now two steps up,

sir--that's it! Now three steps down, easy does it! and 'ere we are.

A cheer, sir, now water and a sponge!"

Here Barnabas, sinking back in the chair, leaned his head against

the wall behind him, and the mist grew more dense, obliterating all

things.