ck.

"Not for flinging me down and kicking my hat into the water?"

"No, Jones," said Whalley, quietly. "I don't know what you were talking
about, but you clearly meant to insult him, from your manner."

"What's the row? what's up?" said a number of boys, who began to throng
round.

"Only a plebeian splutter of rage from our well-bred friend there," said
Mackworth, pointing contemptuously at Kenrick, who stood with dilated
nostrils, still heaving with rage.

"But what about?"

"Heaven only knows _apropos_ of just nothing."

"You're a liar," said Kenrick impetuously. "You know that you told lies
and insulted me; and if you say it again, I'll do the same again."

"Only try," said Jones, in a surly tone.

"Insulted you?" said Mackworth in bland accents. "We were talking about
a dishonest parson, as far as I remember. Pray, are you a dishonest
parson?"

"You'd better take care," said Kenrick with fierce energy.

"Take care of what? We didn't ask _you_ to listen to our conversation;
listeners hear no--"

"Bosh!" interposed Whalley; "you know you were talking at the top of
your voices, and we couldn't help hearing you."

"And what then? Mayn't we talk as loud as we like?--I assure you, on my
word of honour," he said, turning to the group around them, "we didn't
even mention Kenrick's name. We were merely talking about a certain
dishonest parson who rode in hay-carts, when the fellow sprang on Jones
like a tiger-cat. I'm sure, if he's any objection to our talking of
such unpleasant people we won't do so in his hearing," said Mackworth,
in an excess of venomous politeness.

"French Varnish," said Whalley, with honest contempt, moved beyond his
wont with indignation, though he did not understand the cause of
Kenrick's anger. "I wonder why Kenrick should even condescend to notice
what such fellows as you and Jones say. Come along, Ken; you know what
we all think about those two;" and, putting his arm in Kenrick's, he
almost dragged him from the scene, while Jones and Mackworth (conscious
that there was not a single other boy who would not condemn their
conduct as infamous when they understood it) were not sorry to move off
in another direction.

But when Whalley had taken Kenrick to a quiet place by the river side,
and asked him "what had made him so furious?" he returned no answer,
only hiding his face in his hands. He had indeed been cruelly insulted,
wounded in his tenderest sensibilities; he felt