The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

. THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 3 They would not give in, nor own that they had been beaten by a score of rebellious youths, “Surround ’em! surround ’em!” bawled Joel at the other end of the large, long room, who had now got possession of the coal skuttle and was throwing coals about with great violence, One large lump, which he had aimed at Frank Ford’s head, just missed it, and smashed a large globe that stood near by. | A cheer rose from the young Garibaldians as they perceived this trick of the Sneak. “Two can play at that game,” said Tom, Frank’s brother. The young Garibaldians now fought their way to the coal cupboard, which was at their end of the room. “Don’t let ’em get at it,” shouted old Grave- stones, who with his friends was unable to storm the strong barricade of desks and benches the young Garibaldians bad raised against them. ‘Fight ’em, lads; fight ’em,” said he, “but don’t let °em secure the coal cupboard, or they'll smash everything in the school.” Dick Fellows with Frank Ford led on a dozen of their followers, and the fight for the much-coveted coals was hot, desperate and short. | At length they gained possession of it, and beat back their opponents. | A shout of triumph was raised, - “Three cheers for Garibaldi !’’ “ Liberty or death !” “Down with oppression and tyranny !” The coal cupboard was a very large one, and filled with coals. - This proved a mine of wealth to the young Gari- baldians, They showered dozens of lumps upon the heads of their assailants, and the fight now became hotter than ever. Coal dust was thrown into the eyes of those nearest to them, while lump after lump, and cobble after cobble, was fired in all directions, greatly to the master’s anger and dismay, Perceiving the destruction on all sides from the lumps of coal, he shouted out, ssh Surrender! Give up quietly, and I'll let you off, “Never !” “No surrender !” “Hurrah for Garibaldi and liberty !’’ “Tf you will not submit, you young imps of the devil, I will make you,” said the master, with an angry oath. With a determined rush he dashed at the young Garibaldians’ barricade. But a shower of coal dust was thrown fairly into his eyes, and, for the moment, almost blinded him. With a yell of pain he retreated to the door, stamping and swearing. He opened the door in order fo escape. His wife and two daughters stood outside in terror and alarm. As soon as they saw the black and grimy appear- ance of the master, wjth several large bumps about his head and face, they screamed with dismay and fainted on the landing. The master not heeding them was about to pass by and go downstairs when his foot caught in his wife's dress. He fell headlong over the bannisters on to the landing below. Perceiving the retreat of the master the tutors and scholars were about to follow” his example in order to get out of harm’s way, This the young Garibaldians perceived. With a loud shout they issued from behind their barricade, and charged their opponents with such ferocity that they drove them all helter skelter before them down stairs, freely dealing blows to the right and left until the school-room was cleared, and they remained masters of the well-fought ground ! “ Ho-o-ray !” they shouted again and again. “Three cheers for Garibaldi |” The demand was responded to, and they made the Academy ring again with their loud and deafen- ing shouts ! * * * * * But while all this riot was in progress among the young Garibaldians, what must be said of Tony Waddleduck, or “‘ Paunchey,” the ‘‘ Fat Boy ”’ of the school, as Hugh Tracy and others called him? Tony, fat, dreamy and sleepy as he always was, had just laid his head down on his desk for an after- noon nap when the row began. He had eaten too much at dinner; his pockets were crammed with cakes, apples, and whatever he could buy, beg or steal, and at the moment when he _ should have been helping Frank, Dick Fellows and the rest, he was curled up all of a heap in his own particular corner, and snoring as loudly and soundly as a young prize hog. “Wake up, Tony. Look out, Paunchey,” said first one and then another of the young Garibaldians, when they found themselves furiously attackéd by Joel Flint, and other fierce antagonists. ‘‘Wake up, Tony! Now then, young Paunchey,” shouted Tom Ford, “don’t you seerthat war has commenced? Wake up; this won’t do you know if you think of joining ‘Garibaldi in Italy ; come, Paunchey, roll up your sleeves, and let’s see what you can do,”’ “Eh? What?” said Tony, gaping and yawning, still half asleep, and not feeling at all inlined to be roused up. “Eh? what? Ob, let me alone, I want to sleep.” This was said in such a plaintive voice by the fat boy that young Tom Ford roared with laughter. “Sleepy, eh? Why, you’re always eating and sleeping,” said Tom Ford; “I never saw such a chap ; no wonder you’re all fat, and bursting out your clothes, Tony. Come, take this stick, and fight like a man; we are nearly overpowered.” “Fight! Why, I might get a slap on the head.’’ He was about to close his eyes again and drop off to sleep, when a heavy dictionary was, shied at his head, Tony did not see it coming, but he felt it when -it did come, for it left a bump of respectable look- ing size on his forehead, and made “ Paunchey’s ” eyes dance again with surprise. With a yell of anger he roused himself up, while, with a large apple in one hand, which he munched from time to time, and a long ruler in the other, he jumped over the barricade of desks, and his fat, puffy, pudding-bag looking person was soon lost among the friends and followers of the master and Joel Flint, Tony, the fat boy, was a big youth for his age, and, though sleepy and lazy, would fight light a trooper—when he couldn’t get ont of it ! When old Gravestones rushed out of the school- room in despair, and fell over his wife and tumbled down stairs, the first person to raise a shout of triumph was Job Parsons the page, or ‘‘ Buttons,” as he was generally called by the students, from three rows of large brass bottons with which his tight-fitting jacket was ornamented. ¢ £Buttons’ hair was generally unruly, and all he CONMUCIOOKS CO)