spect Jews, for there was a boy named Abner, he protected, who smelt
Jewish; he said they ran us Gentiles hard, and carried big guns.

Only a reputation like Matey's could have kept his leadership from
a challenge. Joseph Masner, formerly a rival, went about hinting and
shrugging; all to no purpose, you find boys born to be chiefs. On the
day of the snow-fight Matey won the toss, and chose J. Masner first
pick; and Masner, aged seventeen and some months, big as a navvy,
lumbered across to him and took his directions, proud to stand in the
front centre, at the head of the attack, and bear the brunt--just what
he was fit for, Matey gave no offence by choosing, half-way down the
list, his little French friend, whom he stationed beside himself, rather
off his battle-front, as at point at cricket, not quite so far removed.
Two boys at his heels piled ammunition. The sides met midway of a marshy
ground, where a couple of flat and shelving banks, formed for a broad
new road, good for ten abreast--counting a step of the slopes--ran
transverse; and the order of the game was to clear the bank and drive
the enemy on to the frozen ditch-water. Miss Vincent heard in the
morning from the sister of little Collett of the great engagement
coming off; she was moved by curiosity, and so the young ladies of
her establishment beheld the young gentlemen of Mr. Cuper's in furious
division, and Matey's sore aim and hard fling, equal to a slinger's,
relieving J. Masner of a foremost assailant with a spanker on the
nob. They may have fancied him clever for selecting a position rather
comfortable, as things went, until they had sight of him with his little
French ally and two others, ammunition boys to rear, descending one
bank and scaling another right into the flank of the enemy, when his
old tower of a Masner was being heavily pressed by numbers. Then came a
fight hand to hand, but the enemy stood in a clamp; not to split like
a nut between crackers, they gave way and rolled, backing in lumps from
bank to ditch.

The battle was over before the young ladies knew. They wondered to see
Matey shuffling on his coat and hopping along at easy bounds to pay his
respects to Miss Vincent, near whom was Browny; and this time he and
Browny talked together. He then introduced little Emile to her. She
spoke of Napoleon at Brienne, and complimented Matey. He said he was
cavalry, not artillery, that day. They talked to hear one another's
voices. By constantl