A troop of boys was pouring out from a school-house near, shouting, whistling, calling out to each other, and making the place echo with their noise. The one who had seized the kitten was a big stout fellow of about fourteen, with red hair and small greenish eyes. "Who wants a cat to make into pies?" he bawled at the top of his voice, holding his prize above the crowd of boys who gathered round him. The kitten, its little weak body dangling helplessly, turned its terrified eyes downwards on all the eager faces. "Who'll buy?" cried the boy again. "Mi-auw," said the kitten piteously. "Give yer five marbles for it, Bill!" "Give yer tuppence." "Give yer a lump of hardbake." One after another the shrill voices sounded above the general noise and clatter, but Bill shook his head. "Not near enough," he said; "and come to think of it, I shall keep it myself, and have some sport with it. We'll have a cat-chase, sure's my name's Bill." As he spoke, another boy joined the group. He was much smaller than Bill, slight and thin, with a brown face and very twinkling dark eyes. His clothes were poor, and there was more than one hole in the ragged jacket buttoned tightly round him. "I'll give yer my knife for't, Bill," he said quickly. This was a good offer. Bill hesitated; but casting a glance at the boy's dark eager face, he exclaimed: "Ah, it's you, is it, Dan Tuvvy; then don't you wish you may get it? I'll just keep it myself." "'Tain't yourn," said Dan shrilly. "'Tain't yourn, anyhow," said Bill, with a glare in his green eyes. The small boy's features worked with excitement. "I'll fight yer for it, then," he said, doubling his fists, and at this there was a loud laugh from the others, for he was about half Bill's size. "Go it, Tuvvy," cried one, patting him on the back; "go in and win." "I ain't a-goin' to fight a little chap like you," said Bill, moving off sullenly with the kitten under his arm. "So don't you think it." "You give me the cat, then," said Dan, following him. "'Ere's my knife, with three blades, and on'y one broke." "Git out with yer," said Bill contemptuously. "I tell yer I'm a-goin' to have a cat-chase with this 'ere kitten. So no more bother about it." "You're afraid," snarled Dan, running along by his side. "I wouldn't be a big chap like you, and be afraid--that I wouldn't." "Take that, then," said Bill, turning suddenly, "if you _will_ have it;" and he gave the small boy a blow which struck him to the ground. In a moment he was up again, quite undaunted. "Come on, then," he cried, doubling his fists and dancing round his enemy, "if you _aren't_ afraid." "A fight! a fight!" sounded from all sides; and there seemed no doubt of it, for Bill's temper was roused. "Ketch 'old for a minnit," he said, holding out the kitten, for which a dozen grimy hands were outstretched; "'twon't take long--"