THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



same, when a smart round ensued, rather in his favour ; but 

 the young one was nowise daunted. The old blood of the 

 Rabys warmed in liis young veins at every blow, and he said 

 to liimself , ' I'll lick this snob, or die.' Presently the whole 

 village became alarmed for the safety of Master Francis. Out 

 ran the apothecary from his house, and the mother of one of 

 the Amstead housemaids from hers, both insisting on some of 

 the lookers-on interfering, and putting an end to the fight. It 

 happened, liowever, that the coachman had walked down to 

 the village with his young master, and he stoutly asserted that 

 Master Francis was 'all right. He'll leather two such chaps 

 as that,' said coachey, ' and I'll go and see fair play.' The 

 result was thus : — In the fifth round, the young one hit his 

 opponent such a smasher in his teeth, that he turned cur and 

 ran ofi", amidst the hootings of all present ; thus verifying the 

 maxim, that 'thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel just.' 

 Even the njagpie in the cage chattered, as if exulting to see 

 justice so summarily obtained for a poor orphan lad. 



' Come into my house, Master Francis,' said the doctor, 

 ' that I may see what injury you have sustained. Here is a 

 blow over the left eye to begin with, and it will be black in 

 a few hours ; what will your mamma say ? ' ' Oh ' ' said the 

 coachman, ' he can tell my lady that Rodney (the pony) 

 threw up his head, and struck him on the face ; she won't 

 know no better.' ' But your thumb. Master Francis, you have 

 cut it rather deep, by a blow against one of the young rascal's 

 teeth,' resumed the doctor. ' Oh ! ' observed coachey, ' that 

 will be soon settled ; he can tell my lady he took a shot at 

 a rook out of Jem Perren's gun, and that it was too high 

 loaded, and hit him a hard blow on his hand. Besides, 

 from what I know of my lady, dash me if I don't think 

 she'd like to know how young master served out that 

 cowardly scoundrel, for she once stopped the carriage on 

 purpose to give the poor orphan he had been beating a 

 shilling, and she has twice had him clothed. You know, 

 doctor, his father worked in her flower-garden.' ' But the 

 tutor. Master Francis ? ' continued Esculapius. ' Oh, bother 

 the tutor ! ' replied the coachman ; ' tliey tells me he is 

 a great scholard, but he's as soft as a pat of butter; 

 Master Francis can soon gammon him, as he has often 

 done before. And as to master, I know what he will 



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