Burr Junior | Page 4

the bell rang at six, when I sprang out of bed, confused and puzzled at
finding myself there instead of at home. Then, as the reality forced
itself upon me, and I was scowled at by five sleepy boys, all in the
ill-humoured state caused by being obliged to get up before they
pleased, I hurriedly dressed, thinking that I could never settle down to

such a life as that, and wondering what my uncle and my mother would
say if I started off, went straight back, and told them I did not mean to
stop at school.
Everything looked cheerless and miserable, for there was a thick fog
outside, one which had been wafted over from the sea, so that there was
no temptation to go out, and, in spite of my low spirits, I was hungry
enough to make me long for breakfast.
This was laid for us in the schoolroom, to which the boys flocked, as
the big bell on the top of the building rang out again, and here I found
that there were two long tables, as I supposed, till I was warned about
being careful, when I found that they were not tables, but the double
school-desks with the lids of the boys' lockers propped up horizontal.
"And if you don't mind, down they come, and your breakfast goes
outside instead of in," said Mercer.
Milk and water and bread and butter, but they were good and plentiful,
and though I was disappointed at first, and began thinking of the hot
coffee at home, I made a better breakfast than I had expected; and in
due course, after a walk round the big building, of which I could see
nothing for the chilly fog, the bell rang again, and I had to hurry back
into the schoolroom, taking a seat pointed out for me by Mercer, with
the result related in the last chapter.
"Here, come along!" cried my new friend: "What a game! You are a
good chap. I wish a new boy would come every day. Hooray! old
Rebble's off. Bet sixpence he goes down to the river bottom-fishing. He
never catches anything. Goes and sits in his spectacles, blinking at his
float, and the roach come and give it a bob and are off again long
before he strikes. Hi yi yi yi!" he shouted; "here we are again!" and,
jumping on to the form and from there to the desk, he bent down, took
lightly hold of the sides, threw up his heels, and stood on his head.
"Here, look at old Mercer!" cried a boy.
"Bravo, Senna T!" cried another.

A dictionary flew across the room, struck the amateur acrobat in the
back, and fell on the floor, but not much more quickly than my new
friend went over backwards, the blow having made him overbalance so
that his feet came with a crash on the desk, the ink flew out of two little
leaden wells, and the performer rolled off on to the form, and then to
the floor, with a crash.
"Here!" he cried, springing up. "Who did that? Give me that book. Oh,
I know!" he cried, snatching the little fat dictionary, and turning over
the leaves quickly. "`Eely-hezer Burr.' Thanky, I wanted some paper.
I'm all over ink. What a jolly mess!"
As he spoke, he tore out three or four leaves, and began to wipe the ink
off his jacket.
"I say, Burr," cried the big boy who had read about Penelope, "Mercer's
tearing up your dictionary."
"You mind your own business!" cried Mercer, tearing out some more
leaves, and then throwing the book at the tale-teller just as the tall, thin
boy, who bore the same name as I, came striding up with his face
flushed and fists doubled, to plant three or four vigorous blows in
Mercer's chest and back.
"How dare you tear my book?" he cried. "Here, you, fat Dicksee, bring
it here."
"Thought you meant me to use it," cried Mercer, taking the blows
good-humouredly enough. "Oh, I say, don't! you hurt!"
"Mischievous beggar!" said my senior taking the book and marching
off.
"Go on! Ask your father to buy you a new one," cried Mercer
derisively, as he applied a piece of blotting-paper to one leg of his
trousers. "Hiss! Goose!"
"Do you wish me to come back and thrash you, Tom Mercer," said the

tall boy, with a lordly manner.
"No, sir, thank-ye, sir; please don't, and I'll never do so no more, sir."
"Miserable beggar," said Burr major. "Here, Dicksee, come down the
field and bowl for me. Bring five or six little uns to field."
"Yah! Tailor!" said Mercer, as his bully marched out.
"I'll tell him what you said," cried Dicksee.
"Hullo, Penny loaf! you there? Yes,