t he ain't got temper, sir; he gets nasty if he has a sharp counter;
and though he keeps cool enough, there is an ugly look about his face
which tells its tale. He would never keep his temper, and I doubt if
he's real game at bottom. I knows my customers, and have never hit him
as I hit Norris; I don't want to lose a pupil as pays fair and square,
and I know I should mighty soon lose him if I were to let out at him
sharp. No, there is bad blood in that chap somewhere."

"Well, Master Norris, and what do you want at this time of the morning?"
he said, as Frank, after entering the saloon, rang a bell which sounded
in the bar and summoned him to the saloon. "Not a lesson at this time of
the day, surely?"

"Not exactly, Perkins, considering I am due at ten o'clock, and
therefore have only five minutes to stay. I just dropped in to ask you
about something on which you can perhaps advise us."

"Fire away, Master Norris; anything I can do for you you knows as I
will."

"I was thinking, Perkins, that it would be a great lark to go up to one
of those halls where those Chartist fellows meet, and to hear their
speeches."

"I don't see that there would be any lark in it," Perkins replied,
"unless you meant getting up a row."

"I don't know that I exactly meant to get up a row; but if there was a
row, so much the more lark."

"Well, sir, if I might give my advice, I don't think, if I was you, I
would do it in school-time. Your hands can guard your face pretty tidy,
I grant you, but the chances is as you would not get out of such a row
as that would be without being marked. I knows of a place over the other
side of the water, not far from the New Cut, where they meet. Bill Lowe,
him as comes here to spar twice a week, yer know, he goes there; he
takes up with them Chartist notions, which I don't hold with no ways. I
don't see nothing in them seven pints as would do anything for the ring;
and that being so, let it alone, says I. However, Master Norris, since
you have a fancy that way I will talk the matter over with him, and then
if you really makes up your mind you would like to go, I will get four
or five of my lads as can use their mawleys, and we will go in a body.

"Then if there should be a row, I reckon we can fight our way out. There
ain't much in them chaps, tailors and shoemakers, and the like; they are
always great hands for jaw, them tailors and shoemakers, but I never
seed one as I would put five pound on in a tw