ful; but I came under a
promise not to quarrel with you if I could avoid it, and you see, Jacob,
I'm trying to keep my promise, though it's not easy.'

"`Perhaps that will make it less easy,' I said, suddenly fetching him
what was meant to be a slap in the face; but by a prompt withdrawal of
his head he let my hand pass. Instantly I fetched him another slap with
the left hand, but he caught my wrist, and stopped it.

"`Come, Jacob,' said he, in a rather stern voice, `I will fight you, but
it must be done in the regular way, on the green.'

"Satisfied with this, I left him, to prepare for the encounter.

"The green was a level piece of turf close to school, beside a stream,
which, at that place, was formed into a deep pool by means of a
mill-dam. We had named the pool the black hole. It was the scene of
all our school fights. In class that day I was unusually quiet, for I
could not help thinking of the impending fight. I felt that it would be
a hard one, though I never for a moment doubted the result. To keep my
mind off the subject I applied myself to my lessons, and acquitted
myself in a way that gratified the master and amazed the boys.

"The fight was to come off after school hours. The boys assembled with
high expectations, something unusually `stiff' being anticipated, and
they were not disappointed.

"I was on the ground with my friends and backers before my adversary
appeared.

"`Don't make too much of a burst at first,' said one boy; `play with him
till you see what he's made of.'

"`I'd advise you to go in for sloggin',' said another.

"`Yes, knock the wind out of him at once,' said Tadpole; `he's an
English fellow, you know, and may bother you with science.'

"As he spoke Tom appeared. He walked smartly towards me, with his usual
pleasant smile on his face, and held out his hand.

"`Come, Jacob,' he said, `shake hands, and let us give up this affair.
Why should we fight? I am quite willing to admit that you are cock of
the school, and have no desire to give or receive black eyes. Besides,
you injured me more than I injured you, so that you've no occasion to
bear malice.'

"`You called me a careless fellow,' said I, hardening myself, and
looking fierce.

"`Well; but I did not know at the time that you were the owner of the
books.'

"`No matter, you came here to fight, and so did I. Don't let us waste
more words.'

"`Truly he suffereth long,' cried one of the boys, with a sneer and