ed to whistle, but his puffed-up lips refused to give forth a
sound; and, seeing this, Singh whistled for him, and then in spite of
the pain and stiffness of their faces the two boys laughed till the
suffering became intense.

"Oh, don't, don't, don't, Singhy!" cried Glyn. "I can't bear it."

"Well, I never did see two such young gentlemen as you are," said the
old housekeeper, smiling in turn.

"You ought both to be lying back looking as melancholy as black, and
here you are making fun of your troubles. Ah, it's a fine thing, my
dears, to be boys and quite young; but I do hope that you will never
fight any more, and that you will both soon go and shake hands with Mr
Slegge, and tell him you are very sorry you hit him. I am sure that he
must feel very sorry that he ever hit you, he being so much bigger and
having so long had the advantage of being taught by the Doctor, who is
the best man that ever lived, while you two are so new, and you, Mr
Singh, so much younger than Mr Slegge that I do wonder he ever so far
forgot himself as to hit you. Now, you will make friends afterwards,
won't you?"

"No!" cried Singh sharply. "I hate the coward."

"Oh, my dear!" cried the old lady.

"He doesn't mean it, nursey," cried Glyn, getting hold of her hand
again. "He only said it because he feels so sore. He's got a sore face
and a sore temper; but it will be all right when he gets well."

"I hope so, my dear; and you will shake hands with him, won't you?"

"Yes," said Glyn merrily, "as soon as he holds out his. I can afford
to.--Can't I, Singhy?"

"Oh yes, of course."

"There," said the old lady, "now that's spoken nicely, and I don't think
I'll bathe your face any more.--Now, my dear," she continued to Singh,
"it's your turn."

"Oh, mine doesn't want doing, does it?" said the boy carelessly.

"Yes, my dear, and very badly too. If it isn't bathed with my lotion it
will go on swelling, and be more discoloured still."

"Oh!" cried the boy eagerly.--"Here, you, Glyn, get up out of that
chair. It's my turn now, as Mrs Hamton says," and he took another
glimpse at the glass. "There, I'm ready. Oh, I say, I do look a
wretch!"

Under the care of the good-natured old housekeeper during the next two
days a great deal of the swelling went down; but after the old lady's
report, and visits from the Doctor himself, they were both still treated
as infirmary patients, and relieved from lessons till such time as they
shou