o do about it.

Paying no heed to the formidable attitude of the city youth, Nick rushed
straight upon him, and embracing him about the waist so as to pinion his
arms, he threw him flat upon the ground with great emphasis. Then, while
Herbert lay on his face, vainly struggling to rise, Nick sat down
heavily on his back. Although he could have used his fists with great
effect, Nick declined to do so; but, rising some six or eight inches, he
sat down on him again, and then repeated the performance very fast,
bounding up and down as a man is sometimes seen to do when a horse is
trotting; descending each time on the back of Herbert with such vigor
that the breath was almost forced from his body.

"Let me up!" shouted the victim, in a jerky, spasmodic manner, as the
words were helped out; "that ain't the right way to fight: that isn't
fair."

"It suits me better as nefer vas," replied the grinning Nick, banging
himself down on the back of the struggling Herbert, until the latter
began to cry and ask the boys to pull Nick off.

No one interfered, however, and when the conqueror thought he had
flattened out the city youth to that extent that he would never acquire
any plumpness again, he rose from his seat and allowed Herbert to climb
upon his feet.

Never was a boy more completely cowed than was this vaunting youth, on
whom all the others had looked with such admiration and awe. He meekly
picked up his hat, brushed off the dirt, and looking reproachfully at
Nick said:

"Do you know you broke two of my ribs?"

"I dinks I brokes dem _all_: dat's what I meant to do; I will try him
agin."

"No, you won't!" exclaimed Herbert, darting off in a run too rapid for
the short legs of Nick to equal.

Nick Ribsam had conquered a peace, and from that time forth he suffered
no persecution at school. Master Herbert soon after went back to his
city home, wondering how it was that a small, dumpy lad, four years
younger than he, was able to vanquish him so completely when all the
science was on the side of the elder youth.

Young as was Nick Ribsam, there was not a boy in the school who dared
attempt to play the bully over him. The display he had given of his
prowess won the respect of all.

Besides this he proved to be an unusually bright scholar. He dropped his
faulty accent with astonishing rapidity, and gained knowledge with great
facility. His teacher liked him, as did all the boys and girls, and when
he was occasionally abs