together, they fought their way, in spite of all opposition, to
the door, Perkins leading, while Bill Lowe brought up the rear. They
were soon in the open air.

"Now," Perkins exclaimed, "you hook it, gents, as fast as you can; me
and Bill will keep the door for a minute." The boys dashed off, and
after making at full speed into the Westminster Bridge Road, slackened
their pace, and walked quietly back to Dean's Yard. They were in high
glee over their adventure, which all agreed had been a splendid lark,
and was the more satisfactory as all had escaped without any mark which
would testify against them. It was still early, and they had for two
hours to walk the streets until the whistle of the fag at the window
told them that all were in bed and quiet, and they might safely make
their entry. This was effected without noise; the bolts were slipped
into their places again, and with their shoes in their hands, the party
went noiselessly up to their rooms.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER V.

A TERRIBLE ACCUSATION.

TWO days later, as Frank was about to start for the cricket-field, a
small boy, whom he recognised as a son of Perkins, stopped him.

"Father wants to speak to you perticular, Mr. Norris."

"All right, young un, I will go round there at once."

Wondering what Perkins could have to say to him, Frank took his way to
the public-house.

"What is it, Perkins?" he asked the prize-fighter as the latter let him
into his private parlour.

"Well sir, there's a rumpus over this business as we had the other
night."

"How a rumpus, Perkins?"

"Well, sir, there was a tall red-haired chap--leastways I hear as he's
tall and red-headed, and is a tailor by trade; his name is Suggs. It
seems as how he got knocked down in the scrummage, and was so bad that
the police, who came up after you left, took him to hospital; they
brought him round all right, but it seems as how the bridge of his nose
was broke, and it will be flat to his face for the rest of his life. Now
I fancy that's a piece of your handiwork, Mr. Norris; I saw jist such a
chap as that go down when you hit him, and I thought to myself at the
time what a onener it was."

"Yes, I did knock down just such a fellow," Frank said, "and I am sorry
I hit him so hard; I was afraid at the time that I hurt him."

"You should not let out from the shoulder in that sort of way, Mr.
Norris," the pugilist said, shaking his head; "you hit like the kick of
a horse, and