FRESCOES FROM THE PAST.

27

shaking their heads and going on about what they was going to do; "but a
little black-whiskered chap skipped up and says—

' Come back here, you couple of chicken-livered cowards, and 111 thrash
the two of ye!'

And he done it, too. He snatched them, he jerked them this way and
that, he booted them around, he knocked them sprawling faster than they

«HE KJSOCKED THEM SPRAWLING.'
could get up, Why, it warn't two minutes till they begged like dogs—and
how the other lot did yell and laugh and clap their hands all the way
through, and shout * Sail in, Corpse-Maker 1' ' Hi! at him again, Child of
Calamity!' * Bully for you, little Davy !' Well, it was a perfect pow-wow
for a while. Bob and the Child had red noses and black eyes when they got
through. Little Dayy made them own up that they were sneaks and cowards