tell me,
didst put an end to both unfortunates?"

Rupert coloured still more deeply.

"I had the misfortune to slay one, my lord; but there are good
hopes that the other will recover."

A general shout of laughter greeted the announcement, which
together with Rupert's evident shame-faced look, was altogether too
much for their gravity.

Just at this moment a diversion was caused by a young man dressed
in the extreme of fashion who entered the school. He had a
dissipated and jaded air.

"Fulke, where hast been?" one of the group standing round Rupert
asked. "We have missed you these two weeks. Someone said you had
been roughly mauled, and had even lost some teeth. Is it so?"

"It is," the newcomer said, with an angry scowl. "Any beauty I once
may have had is gone forever. I have lost three of my upper teeth,
and two of my lower, and I am learning now to speak with my lips
shut, so as to hide the gap."

"But how came it about?"

"I was walking down a side street off the Strand, when four men
sprang out and held my hands to my side, another snatched my watch
and purse, and as I gave a cry for the watch, he smote me with the
pommel of his rapier in my mouth, then throwing me on the ground
the villains took to their heels together."

The exclamations of commiseration and indignation which arose
around, were abruptly checked by a loud laugh from Rupert.

There was a dead silence and Sir Richard Fulke, turning his eyes
with fury towards the lad who had dared to jeer at his misfortune,
demanded why he laughed.

"I could not help but laugh," Rupert said, "although doubtless it
was unmannerly; but your worship's story reminded me so
marvellously of the tale of the stout knight, Sir John Falstaff's
adventure with the men of buckram."

"What mean you?" thundered Sir Richard.

"I mean, sir," Rupert said quietly, "that your story has not one
word of truth in it. I came upon you in that side street off the
Strand, as you were trying to carry off by force, aided by a rascal
named Captain Copper, a lady, whose name shall not be mentioned
here. I had not my sword with me, but with a walking stick I
trounced your friend the captain, and then, with my stick against
your rapier, I knocked out those teeth you regret, with a fair
thrust.

"If my word is doubted, gentlemen, Alderman Hawkins, who heard the
details of the matter from the young lady and her chairman, can
vouch for it."

A cry of fury burst from Sir Richard