The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's Part 35

"Look sharp, old man," he said, "that's all."

Wraysford went off on his mission without delay.

He found Loman in his study with his books before him.

"Greenfield senior wants me to say he'll meet you after tea in the gymnasium if you'll come there," said the amba.s.sador.

Loman, who was evidently prepared for the scene, looked up angrily as he replied, "Fight me? What does he want to fight me for, I should like to know!"

"You know as well as I do," said Wraysford.

"I know nothing about it, and what's more I'll have nothing to do with the fellow. Tell him that."

"Then you won't fight?" exclaimed the astounded Wraysford.

"No, I won't to please him. When I've nothing better to do I'll do it;"

and with the words his face flushed crimson as he bent it once more over his book.

Wraysford was quite taken aback by this unexpected answer, and hesitated before he turned to go.

"Do you hear what I say?" said Loman. "Don't you see I'm working?"

"Look here," said Wraysford, "I didn't think you were a coward."

"Think what you like. Do you suppose I care? If Greenfield wants so badly to fight me, why didn't he do it last term when I gave him the chance? Get out of my study, and tell him I'll have nothing to do with him or any of your stuck-up Fifth!"

Wraysford stared hard at the speaker and then said, "I suppose you're afraid to fight _me_, either?"

"If you don't clear out of my study I'll report you to the Doctor, that's what I'll do," growled Loman.

There was no use staying, evidently; and Wraysford returned dejectedly to Oliver.

"He won't fight," he announced.

"Not fight!" exclaimed Oliver. "Why ever not?"

"I suppose because he's a coward. He says because he doesn't choose."

"But he _must_ fight, Wray. We must make him!"

"You can't. I called him a coward, and that wouldn't make him. You'll have to give it up this time, Noll."

But Oliver wouldn't hear of giving it up so easily. He got up and rushed to Loman's study himself. But it was locked. He knocked, no one answered. He called through the keyhole, but there was no reply.

Evidently Loman did not intend to fight, and Oliver returned crestfallen and disappointed to his study.

"It's no go," he said, in answer to his friend's inquiry.

"Oh, well, never mind," said Wraysford. "Even if you could have fought, I dare say it wouldn't have done much good, for he's such a sullen beggar there would have been no making it up afterwards. If I were you I wouldn't bother any more about it. I'll let all the fellows know he refused to fight you!"

"What's the use of that?" said Oliver. "Why tell them anything about it?"

But tell them or not tell them, the fellows knew already. It had oozed out very soon that a fight was coming off, and instantly the whole school was in excitement. For, however little some of them cared about the personal quarrel between Oliver and Loman, a fight between Fifth and Sixth was too great an event to be pa.s.sed by unheeded.

The Fifth were delighted. They knew their man could beat Loman any day of the week, and however much they had once doubted his courage, now it was known he was the challenger every misgiving on that score was done away with.

"I tell you," said Ricketts to a small knot of his cla.s.s-fellows, "he could finish him up easily in one round."

"Yes," chimed in another knowing one, "Loman's got such a wretched knack of keeping up his left elbow, that he's not a chance. A child could get in under his guard, I tell you; and as for wind, he's no more wind than an old paper bag!"

"I wish myself it was a closer thing, as long as our man won," said Tom Senior, with a tinge of melancholy in his voice. "It will be such a miserably hollow affair I'm afraid."

"I'm sorry it's not Wren, or Callonby, or one of them," said another of these amiable warriors; "there'd be some pleasure in chawing them up."

At this moment up came Pembury, with a very long face.

"It's no fight after all, you fellows," said he. "Loman funks it!"

"What! he won't fight!" almost shrieked the rest. "It must be wrong."

"Oh, all right, if it's wrong," snarled Pembury. "I tell you there's no fight; you can believe it or not as you like," and off he hobbled, in unusual ill-humour.

This was a sad blow to the Fifth. They saw no comfort anywhere. They flocked to Oliver's study, but he was not there, and Wraysford's door was locked. The news, however, was confirmed by other reporters, and in great grief and profound melancholy the Fifth swallowed their tea, and wondered if any set of fellows were so unlucky as they.

But their rage was as nothing to that of the Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles.

These amiable young animals had of course sniffed the battle from afar very early in the evening, and, as usual, rushed into all sorts of extremes of enthusiasm on the subject. A fight! A fight between Fifth and Sixth! A fight between Greenfield senior and a monitor! Oh, it was too good to be true, a perfect luxury; something to be grateful for, and no mistake!

Of course a meeting was forthwith a.s.sembled to gloat over the auspicious event.

Bramble vehemently expressed his conviction that the Sixth Form man would eat up his opponent, and went the length of offering to cut off his own head and Padger's if it turned out otherwise.

Paul and his friends, on the other hand, as vehemently backed the Fifth fellow.

"When's it to come off, I say?" demanded Bramble.

"To-night, I should say, or first thing in the morning."

"Sure to be to-night. My eye! won't Greenfield senior look black and blue after it!"

"No, he won't," cried Paul.

"Turn him out!" shouted Bramble. "No one wants you here; do we, Padger?

Get yourself out of the meeting, you sneak!"

"Get yourself out!" retorted Paul.

The usual lively scene ensued, at the end of which the door suddenly opened, and a boy entered.