The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN? 3 CHAPTER III. SINGLE THE night passed away quietly enough, the pupils of Lexicon College not being quite inthe humour forany largeamount of practical joking. In the morning the second classical master held a preliminary examination of the new pupils, for the purpose of assigning them their various positions in the school. | Frank Egerton acquitted himself very well, having been well trained by a pri- vate tutor, and was sent to the fifth form, not far below his friend, Charlie Fitz- gerald. . Then came the first morning of school discipline and instruction, and the old scholars found they had a formidable rival in the new-comer. Baynes gave him several very savage glances by way of reminding him that he had not forgotten the challenge of the previous night. However, Egerton took no notice of At length they were dismaissed. As soon as they had reached the play- field, the Earl of Pembridge came up. ‘Who is going to second you in this mill, Egerton ?” he asked. “JT suppose Fitzgerald will. I have not asked.” ‘¢Then let me have that honour ; will you, old fellow ?” “ Certainly.” Some twenty or thirty of the boys who were aware of the acceptance of Baynes’s challenge then made their way to the old chalk-pit, which was situated at the bottom of a steep hill, just out- side the town. ‘J “on’t see our adversary,” observed Pemb:sicge. ‘¢Here he comes, though,” said ano- ther. Saynes appeared a few minutes after- COMBAT. wards, attended by Crawley ; aring was marked out on the green turf within which the two combatants were placed, and the spectators were warned not to intrude. Both then delivered their hats, coats, and waistcoats to their seconds, and, advancing into the centre of the ring, assumed defensive attitudes. All the spectators were breathless with suspense, as the two combatants prepared to commence hostilities, Baynes was a strongly-built youth, not too fleshy, and possessed of a great deal of self-confidence. He had already fought two or three severe school fights, on each occasion proving the conqueror, though there were ugly whispers abroad that he had not fought fairly. Egerton was about his equal in height and size, and felt full of enthusiasm, remembering the line— “ sind is he armed that hath his quarrel jus Before going to the place of combat, he had practised for an hour with the gloves, and had found himself able, without much difficulty, to overcome both his friends, Fitzgerald and the Earl of Pembridge. This inspired him with confidence, Baynes, nothing loth, relying upon his former victories, and the reputation he had gained as a bruiser, stepped forward, and— The combat commenced ! ROUND THE ItrsT brought out the sparring qualities of both. Either combatant was anxious to dis- cover the other’s weak points. Baynes assumed a more busy action than his opponent, but considerable fistic science was displayed by both. After sparring for some minutes, Go NOC (CO mn