s and number fighting one against the other.

"In wi' him!"

"Dook him, lads!"

"Now, then, all together!"

I heard all these cries mingled together, and mixed up with the busy
hands and faces, I seemed to see the row of houses, the clear sky, the
waters of the dam, and Gentles the grinder leaning against a door and
looking on.

I was being lifted amidst shouts and laughter, and I knew that the next
moment I should be in the dam, when there was a tremendous splash, and
some drops of water sprinkled my face.

Then there was the rattle of the handle of a bucket, and another splash
heard above all the yelling and shouting of the boys. There was the
hollow sound of a pail banged against something hard, and mingled with
cries, shouts, laughter, and ejaculations of pain I felt myself fall
upon the path, to be kicked and trampled on by someone contending, for
there were slaps, and thuds, and blows, the panting and hissing of
breath; and then the clanging of bells near and bells far, buzzing in
ears, the rush and scuffling of feet, with shouts of derision, defiance,
and laughter, and then, last of all, a curious cloud of mist seemed to
close me in like the fog on the Dome Tor, and out of this a shrill angry
voice cried:

"Ah, ye may shout, but some on ye got it. Go and dry yourselves at the
furnace, you cowardly young shacks. Hey, bud I wish I'd hed holt o' yon
stick!"

"Yon stick!" I felt must be mine; but my head was aching, and I seemed
to go to sleep.

"I wish you'd be quiet," I remember saying. "Let me be."

"Fetch some more watter, mester," said a pleasant voice, and a rough
hand was laid upon my forehead, but only to be taken away again, and
that which had vexed and irritated we went on again, and in a dreamy way
I knew it was a sponge that was being passed over my face.

"I fetched Mester Tom one wi' bottom o' the boocket, and I got one kick
at Tom, and when the two boys come home to-night they'll get such a
leathering as they never hed before."

"Nay, let 'em be," said a familiar voice.

"Let 'em be! D'ye think I'm going to hev my bairns grow up such shacks?
Nay, that I wean't, so yo' may like it or no. I'd be shamed o' my sen
to stand by and let that pack o' boys half kill the young gentleman like
that."

"I warn't going to stop 'em."

"Not you, mester. Yow'd sooner set 'em on, like you do your mates, and
nice things come on it wi' your strikes and powder, and your wife and
bairns wi' empt