Digby Heathcote Part 27

Paul had begun to undress. Presently one of them, directly opposite Digby's bed, put up his head, and said--

"Ah, Master Digby Heathcote, son of Squire Heathcote, of Bloxholme Hall, how are you?"

"That's me," answered Digby, firmly; "I'm very well, I thank you, in very good condition, and not bad training; and I am strong, though not very big. And now I'll tell you what I am going to do: I am going to make my bed, to see that it is comfortable, and then I am going to say my prayers, as I always do; and I beg that you fellows will not make a row till I have done. I shall not be long; then I intend to undress, and get into bed. After the candle is put out, if anything is s.h.i.+ed at me, or any other trick is played, I'll tell you what I intend to do. I have fixed upon one of the beds, with a fellow in it, and, big or little, as he may be, I'll pay him off in such a way that he will be glad to help me another night in keeping order. I am not a greenhorn; I just want you to understand that."

There was something in Digby's well-knit figure, sunburnt, honest countenance, and firm voice, which, as the boys, one after the other, popped up their heads to look at him, inspired them, if not with respect for him, at all events with a dislike to bring down on their heads the chastis.e.m.e.nt he threatened. The bigger boys, though they might have thrashed him in open daylight, could not tell what means he might have for attacking them; and those of his own size saw that he was very likely to thrash them, even on fair terms, if they attempted to try their strength together. No answer was made; so, whistling a merry tune, he set to work: first, he carefully and systematically undid his bed, which had been made into an apple-pie, and smoothing down the sheets, and tucking in the feet, he said--"Ah, now that will do." Then he knelt down by the side of the bed, and most earnestly and sincerely repeated the prayers he had been accustomed to use. Several attempts were made to disturb him.

"Shame, shame!" cried Paul Newland from beneath the bedclothes.

Another voice said, "Shame! Let him at least say his prayers."

Digby very soon rose from his knees.

"I am much obliged to those who cried shame," he said, firmly. "It is a shame. It is an insult, not to me, but to Him to whom I was trying to pray. To morrow night I shall know most of the voices of our fellows, and I am resolved not to be interrupted. Now, make as much row as you like; I can sleep through it all; but you remember what I said."

Digby began undressing, and stowing his clothes away at the head of his bed, so that they could not be removed, jumped into bed.

Just then an usher entered, to put out the light. It was the French master, Digby concluded, for one or two of the boys exchanged salutations with him, calling him Monsieur Guillaume. "Bon nuit, bon nuit--va dormir, mes enfants." There was a great deal of chattering and noise as he went out.

"Remember," said Digby, in a firm voice; and then put his head on the pillow.

"Oh, he's a crowing little c.o.c.k," cried some one. "A regular bantam,"

observed another. "I wonder if there are more like him at Bloxholme Hall?" exclaimed a third.

But Digby made no answer. Similar remarks were made for some minutes, but he kept silence, till his persecutors began to grow sleepy. One after the other they dropped off, and so did he, at last; and never slept more soundly in his life.

If all right-thinking boys would exercise the same firmness and resolution as Digby did on this occasion, the better disposed would soon gain the upper hand, and there would be much less bullying and general bad conduct than is too often to be found even at the best-regulated schools.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

DIGBY'S TRIALS AND TRIUMPH--THE BULLY AND THE SPONGE--A DINNER AT GRANGEWOOD--DIGBY'S FIGHT WITH BULLY SCARBOROUGH--A FRIEND IN NEED.

Digby had gained a great triumph--more important, probably, than he was aware of. That first night of his arrival at Grangewood had been the turning-point of his school life. Had he yielded in the first instance, been terrified by threats, lost his temper, shown the white feather in any way, he would, insensibly, have become like one of the rest-- leavened with their leaven, addicted to their bad habits, a thoughtless, idle little tyrant; too likely, on entering the world, to become a useless profligate. As it was, in consequence of his conduct, he had inspired some of his new companions with admiration, and others with respect; while even those of baser nature felt that he was likely to prove a person with whom it would be disagreeable and inconvenient to contend; and so it became impressed on their minds, that it would be better to let him alone. Of course, these feelings were only shared among the boys of his room. He had still to make his way in the school.

Like a knight-errant of old, there were many giants for him to overcome; many castles, surrounded by enchantments, to enter, before he could hope to establish himself on a proper footing in the school. Of course he did not think all this; he only felt that he had altogether acted in a perfectly satisfactory way, and was contented, and pretty happy. He slept soundly, but was the first to awake in the room. He jumped up, put on some of his clothes, said his prayers, and then went to the wash-hand basin, and began sousing his face away in the cold water, as was his custom.

Slowly the cold, grey light of a February morning drew on. A bell now sounded loudly through the house, to rouse the inmates from their slumbers. The other boys awoke, and lifted up their heads to see how the new boy looked by daylight. They saw him standing in his trousers and s.h.i.+rt, with his sleeves tucked up, his face glowing with the cold water, his hair brushed back, and scrubbing away at his hands in a basin full of lather, with an energy which showed that cold water had no terrors for him. His well-knit frame, broad chest, and muscular little arms, appeared to considerable advantage. Some of the boys, who were unable to appreciate higher qualifications, could not fail to feel respect for these; though Digby had not thought about them, nor was he aware of the strength which he possessed, which, for his size, was considerable. He brushed his hair with the same sort of energy with which he had washed his hands, and then went to the drawer which had been awarded to him, to put away his things. He was rather disgusted than amused at seeing the dawdling way in which the boys put on their clothes, and the mode in which they dabbed their faces over with the cold water, and hurriedly dipped their hands in, though some only half dried them, after all. Paul and Farnham were an exception to the rule.

"Well, Heathcote, I hope that you have slept soundly in this, to you, strange place," said Paul, in his usual brisk tone.

"As sound as a top. It is all the same to me, when I have my head on a comfortable pillow. It takes a good deal to keep me awake," answered Digby, in the same tone. "I sleep fast, and get it over the sooner. I hate to be long about what can be well done quickly."

"So do I," answered Newland. "Slow coaches are apt to break down as often as fast ones."

Another bell now rang loudly, and the boys all hurried away downstairs to the schoolroom. Digby accompanied Paul. He felt several fellows push against his back, to throw him downstairs, but he was on his guard; and one of them, to the fellow's surprise, he lifted up on his shoulders, and, without difficulty, carried him down to the next landing-place, where he b.u.mped him pretty hard against the wall.

Another, not seeing what had occurred, tried the same trick. Digby, putting his hands suddenly behind his back, seized him, and had carried him down, holding the boy's arms tight, and was beginning to b.u.mp him, when he felt his own ears pulled, and a voice exclaiming--

"Vat you do dat for? Is dat de way you new boy is going to behave here?"

Digby guessed that it was Monsieur Guillaume, the French master, who was thus addressing him.

"He tried to push me downstairs, sir; and I wish to show him that two can play at most games of that sort," answered Digby, quietly.

"Ah, I do not tink you say de truth, you," exclaimed the French master, angrily. "He is a good boy; my _protege_; speak French well. Put him down, I say. Tommy Bray, come here; you not hurt, my poor boy?"

Digby put Tommy Bray on his feet, who accompanied Monsieur Guillaume into the schoolroom, where Paul and Digby followed.

"The Frenchman has given you a fair specimen of himself. He is the most uncertain, fickle little fellow I ever met. He bullies all the little fellows except his favourites, or _proteges_, as he calls them, and makes up to the older ones, who are big enough to thrash him, if they like. He spites those who don't learn French, because he is not paid for them. He is always trying, therefore, to get new pupils. However, I do not believe that he is really bad tempered when he has his own way.

He has been soured by loss of property; and having to live out of la belle France. And do you know, Heathcote, I really do believe that an usher at a school like this, when no one is exactly master, and the big boys have it much their own way, has a good deal to put up with."

"I should think so," observed Digby, as they entered the schoolroom.

They went to their desks. Mr Yates read prayers, and though everybody was cold and hungry, lessons began.

Mr Tugman had not yet had time to examine Digby, so he sat at his desk reading the Swiss Family of Robinson, which he confessedly preferred to lessons. Each master had a cla.s.s up before him; there were some crying; a good deal of caning on the fingers--a particularly disagreeable punishment, in cold weather especially--and a considerable amount of blundering and hesitation. A few quick runs round the playground would have saved a great deal of suffering and discontent; but Mr Sanford never went out in the morning, and it never occurred to him that the blood in his pupils' veins would circulate more freely with a little brisk exercise, and give vivacity to their intellects.

Breakfast was at last announced by the constant sounding bell. It varied little from tea, except that those who liked bread-and-milk might have it. It was served out in large basins.

Digby, however, preferred the tea. He kept his eye sharply on his mug, to see that it was not tampered with. He observed Tommy Bray take a pinch of salt, and then ask for a cup of tea, though he had a basin of bread-and-milk before him.

"Tommy Bray," cried Digby, in an undertone, "you had better not. Susan, bring me that mug of tea, please. He does not want it."

Susan, remembering John Pratt's half sovereign, brought Digby the tea intact; and Tommy was disappointed of his trick.

Several other boys, however, commenced their jokes on the new comer as soon as their spirits had revived a little, by their appet.i.tes being satisfied; but none of those in his room attempted anything of the sort; and it soon became whispered about that the new boy was a plucky little c.o.c.k, and that his arm had a great lump of muscle in it, as big almost as Scarborough's, which he was so fond of exhibiting.

After breakfast, the boys went into the playground. It was cold enough to make everybody wish to run about as much as they could. Hoops were the order of the day; and Farnham came up and asked Digby if he had got a hoop.

"No; I never trundled one in my life, but I will try," he answered. "I did not know that gentlemen used them. I have only seen the boys in the streets at Osberton play with them."

Farnham thought that he was supercilious in his remark. "Oh, then, I suppose you would not condescend to trundle a hoop?" he exclaimed, turning away.

"But I would though, gladly," cried Digby; "if you can lend me one, and just show me the knack of the thing, I shall like it very much."

Farnham was satisfied, and brought him a good strong hoop which he had wished to offer him. His first attempts were not very successful; but he saw how Farnham pressed the stick against the hoop rather than beat it, and kept his eye on it and not on his stick, watching every deviation from the direct line, so he was soon able to drive it along at a fair rate, with tolerable satisfaction to himself.

Soon after returning into school, Mr Tugman called him up to undergo the threatened examination. It was not very severe, and he managed to get through it pretty well. He had a vague suspicion, indeed, that the usher himself was not an over-ripe scholar. He found afterwards that his suspicions were correct, and that poor Mr Tugman had to get up every night the lessons he had to hear his head cla.s.s the following day.

No wonder that his temper was not over-sweet, and that he was awfully afraid of the big boys, lest they should find out how much more they knew than he did. He was placed in Paul Newland's cla.s.s, but as it was Sat.u.r.day he did not go up with it; so that, with Paul's a.s.sistance, he was able to prepare his lessons for Monday. He determined to do his best, and set to work to get them up thoroughly.

Boys in a private school have an advantage over those at a public one.

If they wish to study during school hours they can do so, under the eye of the masters, without any fear of interruption. In a public one, excellent as the system of most of the great ones is, the boys, working in their own studies with one or two companions only, are liable to the practical jokes and tricks of various sorts of the idly disposed, who may have resolved to prevent them altogether from getting up their lessons, and, of course, then it is very difficult work to do so.

School was over at half-past twelve, and then for a short time they all rushed into the playground.

Spiller was on the watch for Digby at the door. "I am glad to find you, Heathcote," he said, in a soft, quiet voice. "You remember what I told you about your play-box last night. If you come with me I will show you where to put it, and what to do with the things you have got."

"Shall I call him spongy to his face, and so show him that I know his character?" thought Digby. "No; I don't like to do that, it's scarcely right.--Thank you, Spiller," he said aloud, "I am not certain that I shall unpack my things to-day. I have nothing that won't keep, I believe; and I want to become better acquainted with fellows before I cut up my cake."

This was a poser for Spiller, who had never before received such an answer. He looked very hard at Digby, to try and find out whether he knew anything about his character; but Digby had said simply what he had intended to do, and Spiller was completely puzzled. Still he was determined to try again. "Most fellows like to open their boxes at once, to give away some of the good things they have got, to prove their generosity," he observed. "A fellow can't expect to have friends unless he does something to win them, you know. I only tell you this as a hint, just that you may know how to act."