es and ears on full strain.

"I tell you what," said Drysdale, at last, "it isn't fair, these
enemies in the camp; what with the 'town' and their stones and
fists, and the proctors with their 'name and college,' we've got
the wrong end of the stick."

"Both wrong ends, I can tell you," said Jervis. "Hello, Brown,
your nose is bleeding."

"Is it?" said Tom, drawing his hand across his mouth; "'twas that
confounded little fellow then who ran up to my side while I was
squaring at the long party. I felt a sharp crack, and the little
rascal bolted into the crowd before I could turn at him."

"Cut and come again," said Drysdale, laughing.

"Ay, that's the regular thing in these blackguard street
squabbles. Here they come then," said Jervis. "Steady, all."

They turned around to face the town, which came shouting down the
street behind them in pursuit of one gownsman, a little,
harmless, quiet fellow, who had fallen them on his way back to
his college from a tea with his tutor, and, like a wise man, was
giving them leg-bail as hard as he could foot it. But the little
man was of a courageous, though prudent soul, and turned panting
and gasping on his foes the moment he found himself amongst
friends again.

"Now, then, stick together; don't let them get around us," said
Jervis.

They walked steadily down the street, which was luckily a narrow
one, so that three of them could keep the whole of it, halting
and showing front every few yards, when the crowd pressed too
much. "Down with them! Town, town! That's two as was in the
show." "Mark the velvet-capped chap. Town, town!" shouted the
hinder part of the mob, but it was a rabble of boys as before,
and the front rank took very good care of itself, and forbore
from close quarters.

The small gownsman had now got his wind again; and smarting under
the ignominy of his recent flight, was always a pace or two
nearer the crowd than the other three, ruffling up like a little
bantam, and shouting defiance between the catchings of his
breath.

"You vagabonds! you cowards! Come on now I say! Gown, gown!" And
at last, emboldened by the repeated halts of the mob, and
thirsting for revenge, he made a dash at one of the nearest of
the enemy. The suddenness of the attack took both sides by
surprise, then came a rush by two or three of the town to the
rescue.

"No, no! stand back--one at a time," shouted the Captain,
throwing himself between the combatants and the mob. "Go it,