and too desperate in the opinion of several of the bystanders; but as
there was no one near who had any authority, nobody liked to interfere.
So, as they were very equally matched, neither of the combatants showed
the least sign of giving in, though their faces and clothes were smeared
with blood. At last Henderson and Whalley, who were strolling through
the playground, caught sight of the crowd, and came up to see what was
the matter.

"It's a fight," said Henderson; "young Evson and Belial junior; I'd much
rather see them fight than see them friends."

"Yes, Flip; but they've evidently been fighting quite long enough to be
good for them. You're a monitor--couldn't you see if they ought not to
be separated, and shake hands?"

"Hallo, stop, you two," said Henderson, pushing his way into the crowd.
"What's all this about? let's see that it's all right."

"It's a fair fight," said several; "you've no right to stop it."

"I won't stop it unless there's good reason, though I think it's gone on
long enough. What began it?"

"No-thank-you charged Penn with--"

"Who is No-thank-you?" asked Whalley.

"Young Evson, then," said Mackworth sulkily, "charged Penn with bagging
a scent-bottle from the old woman's basket, and then he was impudent, so
Wilton was going to pitch into him."

"And couldn't manage it, apparently," said Whalley; "come, you two,
shake hands now."

Charlie, after a moment's hesitation, frankly held out his hand; but
Wilton said, "He'd no right to accuse a Noelite falsely as he did."

"It wasn't falsely," said Charlie; "I saw him take it, and a horrid
shame it was."

"Is one of your bottles missing, Mrs Hart?" asked Whalley.

"Yes, sir; but now young Master Evson has paid for it, and I don't want
no more fighting about it, sir, please."

"Well, my good woman, there's something for you," said Henderson, giving
her a shilling; "and I hope nobody will treat you so badly again; you'd
better go now. And now, Penn, if you didn't take the bottle, of course
you won't mind being searched?"

"Of course I _shall_," said Penn, edging uneasily away to try if
possible to get rid of the unlucky bottle, which now felt as if it
burned his pocket.

"Stay, my friend," said Whalley, collaring him; "no shuffling away, if
you please."

"What the devil is your right to search me?" said Penn, struggling in
vain under Whalley's grasp; "don't you fellows let him search me."

The attention of all was now fairly