Only an Irish Boy Part 20

"You'll soon get ahead of me, Andy."

Meanwhile G.o.dfrey had taken his place in school, feeling far from comfortable. He was outraged by the thought that Andy, whom he regarded as so much beneath him, should have had the audacity to throw him down, and put his knees on his breast. It made him grind his teeth when he thought of it. What should he do about it? He wanted to be revenged in some way, and he meant to be.

Finally he decided to report Andy to the teacher, and, if possible, induce him to punish him.

"The teacher knows that my father's a man of influence," he said to himself. "He will believe me before that ragam.u.f.fin. If he don't, I'll try to get him turned away."

When, therefore, the bell rang for recess, and the rest of the scholars hurried to the playground, G.o.dfrey lingered behind. He waited till all the boys were gone, and then went up to the teacher.

"Well, G.o.dfrey, what is it?" asked the master.

"Mr. Stone, I want to make a complaint against Andrew Burke," said G.o.dfrey.

"What has he done?"

"He is a brute," said G.o.dfrey, in an excited manner. "He dared to come up behind my back before school began, and knock me down. Then he put his knee on my chest, and wouldn't let me up."

"What made him do it?"

"He knows I don't like him, and am not willing to a.s.sociate with him."

"Was that all the reason?" asked the teacher, keenly.

"I suppose so," said G.o.dfrey.

"I was not aware that Andy Burke was quarrelsome," said the teacher.

"He behaves well in school."

"Because he knows he must."

"Very well; I will inquire into the matter after recess."

G.o.dfrey went back to his seat, triumphant. He didn't doubt that his enemy would be severely punished.

CHAPTER XIII G.o.dFREY'S REBELLION

Having made his complaint, G.o.dfrey waited impatiently for the recess to close, in order that he might see retribution fall upon the head of Andy. He had not long to wait. Meanwhile, however, he was missed in the playground.

"Where's G.o.dfrey?" asked one of the boys.

"He don't want to come out. He got a licking from Andy Burke."

"I ain't much sorry. It'll cure him of some of his airs."

"I don't know about that. It comes natural to him to put on airs."

"If anybody has insulted G.o.dfrey," remarked Ben Travers, his toady, "he had better look out for himself."

"Do you hear that, Andy? Ben Travers says you must look out for yourself."

"Who's goin' to punish me?" asked Andy. "If it's Ben, let him come on."

But Ben showed no disposition to "come on." He could talk and threaten, but when words were to be succeeded by blows he never was on hand. In fact he was a coward, and ought to have kept quiet, but it is just that cla.s.s that are usually most noisy.

Andy had no idea that G.o.dfrey would complain to the teacher in a matter where he was so clearly in the wrong, nor would he if he had not relied upon his father's position to carry him through.

"Mr. Stone is a poor man," he thought, "and he won't dare to take the part of a low Irish boy against the only son and heir of Colonel Preston. He knows on which side his bread is b.u.t.tered, and he won't be such a fool as to offend my father."

While he said this he knew that it was very doubtful whether his father would espouse his cause, but then Mr. Stone would probably suppose he would, which would answer the same purpose on the present occasion.

When Andy re-entered the schoolroom with the rest of the boys at the termination of recess, he saw G.o.dfrey in his seat. The latter darted at him a glance of malicious triumph.

When the noise of entering was over, Mr. Stone said:

"Andrew Burke, come forward!"

Considerably surprised, Andy came forward, and looked up with a modest self-possession into the teacher's face.

"A complaint has been entered against you, Andrew," Mr. Stone began.

"What is it, sir?" asked Andy.

"You are charged by G.o.dfrey Preston with violently a.s.saulting and throwing him down, just before school commenced. Is this true?"

"Yes, sir," answered Andy, promptly.

"You are charged with kneeling down upon him, and preventing his getting up."

"That is true," said Andy, quite composedly.

"I am surprised that you should have acted in this manner," said Mr.

Stone. "I did not think you quarrelsome or a bully."

"I hope I am not," said Andy. "Did G.o.dfrey tell you why I knocked him over?"

"He said it was because he would not a.s.sociate with you."

Andy laughed.

"I hope you'll excuse my laughing, sir," he said, respectfully; "but I'd rather a.s.sociate with any of the boys than with G.o.dfrey. I like him least of all."

"Then, that is the reason you attacked him, is it?"

"No, sir."