the conspirators had reason to
repent their miscalculation in assaulting so spirited an antagonist.
But this did not content him; his blood was up, and he determined to
attack the evil at its source. He strode through his discomfited
enemies straight into Brigson's room, struck a match, and said,
"Brigson, get out of bed this instant."

"Hullo!" grunted Brigson, pretending to be only just awake.

"None of that, you blackguard! Will you take a thrashing?"

"No!" roared Brigson, "I should think not."

"Well, then, take _that_!" he shouted, striking him in the face.

The fight that followed was very short. In a single round Montagu had
utterly thrashed, and stricken to the earth, and forced to beg for
mercy, his cumbrous and brutal opponent. He seemed to tower above him
with a magnificent superiority, and there was a self-controlled passion
about him which gave tremendous energy to every blow. Brigson was
utterly dashed, confounded, and cowed, and took without a word the
parting kick of contempt which Montagu bestowed on him.

"There," he said to the fellows, who had thronged in from all the
dormitories at the first hint of a fight, "I, a sixth-form fellow, have
condescended to thrash that base coward there, whom all you miserable
lower boys have been making an idol and hero of, and from whom you have
been so readily learning every sort of blackguardly and debasing trick.
But let me tell you and your hero, that if any of you dare to annoy or
lift a finger at me again, you shall do it at your peril. I despise you
all; there is hardly one gentlemanly or honourable fellow left among you
since that fellow Brigson has come here; yes, I despise you, and you
know that you deserve it." And every one of them _did_ shrink before
his just and fiery rebuke.

The scene was not over when the door suddenly opened, and Mr Rose
appeared. He stood amazed to see Montagu there in his night-shirt, the
boys all round, and Brigson standing over a basin, washing his nose,
which was bleeding profusely.

Montagu instantly stepped up to him. "You can trust me, sir; may I ask
you kindly to say nothing of this? I have been thrashing some one that
deserved it, and teaching these fellows a lesson."

Mr Rose saw and allowed for his excited manner. "I can trust you," he
said, "Montagu, and shall take no further notice of this irregularity.
And now get instantly to your beds."

But Montagu, slipping on his clothes, went straight up to