n
days--a scouting party from the Seminary in search of adventures had an
encounter with a Free Kirk school, which was much enjoyed and spoken
about for weeks beside the big fire. Speug began, indeed, to lay out a
permanent campaign by which the boys going home southwards could look in
from time to time on the Free Kirkers, and he indicated his willingness
to take charge of the operation. It was also said that an Episcopal or
Papist school--we made no subtile direct distinctions at the
Seminary--in the northern district might afford some sport, and the
leadership in this case was to be left to Duncan Robertson, the other
captain of the commonwealth. Snow did not last the whole year round even
in a Scots town; but it was wonderful what could be done in summer by
the use of book-bags, well stuffed out with Caesar and Lennie's English
Grammar, and at the worst there always remained our fists. The pleasure
of planning these forays is still a grateful recollection, for it seemed
to us that by spreading our forces we might have perpetual warfare from
January to December and over the length and breadth of the town, so that
no one would be compelled to return to his home of an evening without
the hope of a battle, and every street of the town would be
distinguished by conflict. Nothing came, however, of those spirited
enterprises that year, because our two rivals, laying aside their mutual
quarrels, which, we understood, were very bitter, and entering
into a covenant of falsehood--their lying filled us with holy
indignation--attacked us front and rear while we were having an innocent
game of Russians and English on the North Meadow. Although taken
unawares and poorly provided with weapons we made a good fight; but in
the end we were scattered so completely that Speug never reached the
school again that day, for which he was thrashed by Bulldog next
morning, and Dunc came in with a front tooth gone and one black eye,
for which he was soundly thrashed at once.

During all that summer we denounced the amazing meanness of the other
side, and turned over plans for splitting the alliance, so that we might
deal with each power separately and finally. Speug even conducted a
negotiation--watchfully and across the street, for the treachery of the
other side was beyond description--and tried to come to terms with the
representative of our least hated opponent. He even thought, and Peter
was not guileless, that he had secured their neutral