One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

One of Our Conquerors
arm, actually marched: and to the rearward, none of these
girls heeding; there were the louts at their burlesque of jigs
and fisticuffs! ‘Cherry Ripe,’ was the song.
‘It’s delightful to hear them!’ said Dartrey.
Skepsey muttered jealously of their having been trained.
The song, which drew Dartrey Fenellan to the quick of an
English home, planted him at the same time in Africa to
hear it. Dewy on a parched forehead it fell, England the shedding
heaven.
He fetched a deep breath, as of gratitude for vital refreshment.
He had his thoughts upon the training of our English
to be something besides the machinery of capitalists, and
upon the country as a blessed mother instead of the most
capricious of maudlin step-dames.
He flicked his leg with the stick he carried, said: ‘Your
master’s the man to make a change among them, old friend!’
and strolled along to a group surrounding two fellows who
shammed a bout at single-stick. Vacuity in the attack on either
side, contributed to the joint success of the defense.
They paused under inspection; and Dartrey said: ‘You’re
burning to give them a lesson, Skepsey.’
Skepsey had no objection to his hero’s doing so, though at
his personal cost.
The sticks were handed to them; the crowd increased; their
rounders boys had spied them, and came trooping to the scene.
Skepsey was directed to hit in earnest. His defensive attitude
flashed, and he was at head and right and left leg, and giving
point, recovering, thrusting madly, and again at shoulder and
thigh, with bravos for reward of a man meaning business; until
a topper on his hat, a cut over the right thigh, and the stick in
his middlerib, told the spectators of a scientific adversary; and
loudly now the gentleman was cheered. An undercurrent of
warm feeling ran for the plucky little one at it hot again in
spite of the strokes, and when he fetched his master a handsome
thud across the shoulder, and the gentleman gave up
and complimented him, Skepsey had applause.
He then begged his hero to put the previous couple in
position, through a few of the opening movements. They
were horribly sheepish at first. Meantime two boys had got
hold of sticks, and both had gone to work in Skepsey’s gallant
style; and soon one was howling. He excused himself,
because of the funny-bone, situated, in his case, higher than
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