ll it on your head, if you don't come."

"Oh, that is the game, young un, is it?"

"Yes."

"Well, don't let us have a shindy on the bricks; there is a nice little
paddock outside. Come out there and I'll give you a lesson."

"Thank you; I don't feel inclined to assist you in degrading our
family."

"Chaps that are afraid to fight shouldn't threaten. Come now, the first
knock-down blow shall settle it. If I win, you stay here and dance with
us. If you win, I go to the old woman."

Compton consented, somewhat reluctantly; but to do him justice, his
reluctance arose entirely from his sense of relationship, and not from
any fear of his senior.

The young gentlemen took off their coats, and proceeded to spar without
any further ceremony.

Reginald, whose agility was greater than his courage, danced about on
the tips of his toes, and succeeded in planting a tap or two on
Compton's cheek.

Compton smarted under these, and presently, in following his
antagonist, who fought like a shadow, he saw Ruperta and her mother
looking horror-stricken over the palings.

Infuriated with Reginald for this exposure, he rushed in at him,
received a severe cut over the eye, but dealt him with his mighty
Anglo-Saxon arm a full straightforward smasher on the forehead, which
knocked him head over heels like a nine-pin.

That active young man picked himself up wondrous slowly; rheumatism
seemed to have suddenly seized his well-oiled joints; he then addressed
his antagonist, in his most ingratiating tones--"All right, sir," said
he. "You are the best man. I'll go to the old lady this minute."

"I'll see you go," said Compton, sternly; "and mind I can run as well
as hit: so none of your gypsy tricks with me."

Then he came sheepishly to the palings and said, "It is not my fault,
Miss Bassett; he would not come to mamma without, and she wants to
speak to him."

"Oh! he is hurt! he is wounded!" cried Ruperta. "Come here to me."

He came to her, and she pressed her white handkerchief tenderly on his
eyebrow; it was bleeding a little.

"Well, are you coming?" said Reginald, ironically, "or do _you_ like
young women better than old ones?"

Compton instantly drew back a little, made two steps, laid his hand on
the palings, vaulted over, and followed Reginald.

"That's your _boy,"_ said Mrs. Bassett.

Ruperta made no reply, but began to gulp.

"What is the matter, darling?"

"The fighting--the blood"--said Ruperta, sobbing.

M