But a laugh has an unpleasant knack of transferring itself to the other side, and in this instance an interruption occurred--wholly unlooked-for, but sharp and decisive, not to say violent, and to the prime mover in the sport highly unpleasant--for it took the shape of a hearty, swinging cuff on the side of that worthy's head. He, with a howl that was half a curse, staggered a yard or two under the force of the blow, at the same time loosing his hold of his victim. Then the latter laughed--being the descendant of generations of savages--laughed loud and maliciously. "Confound it, Haviland, what's that for?" cried the smitten one, feeing round upon his smiter. "D'you want some more, Jarnley?" came the quick reply. "As it is I've a great mind to have you up before the prefects' council for bullying a new boy." "Prefects' council," repeated Jarnley with a sneer. "That's just it. If you weren't a prefect, Haviland, I'd fight you. And you know it." "But I don't know it and I don't think it," was the reply. The while, something of a smothered hoot was audible among the now rapidly increasing group, for Haviland, for reasons which will hereinafter appear, was not exactly a popular prefect. It subsided however, as by magic, when he darted a glance into the quarter whence it arose. "Come here--you," he said, beckoning the cause of all the disturbance. "What's your name?" "Mpukuza." "What?" The African boy repeated it unhesitatingly, willingly. He was quick to recognise the difference between constituted authority and the spurious and usurped article--besides, here was one who had intervened to turn the tables on his oppressor. "Rum name that!" said his new questioner, eyeing him with some curiosity, at the full-throated native vowels. "Haven't you got any other?" "Other? Oh, yes, Anthony. Missionary name me Anthony." "Anthony? Well, that's better. We can get our tongues round that. What are you, eh? Where d'you come from, I mean?" "I'm a Zulu." A murmur of real interest ran through the listeners. Not so many years had passed since the dramatic episodes of '79 but that some of the bigger boys there, including Haviland, were old enough to remember the war news reaching English shores, while all were more or less familiar with it in story. And here was one of that famous nationality among them as a schoolfellow. "Now look here, you fellows," said the prefect, when he had put a few more questions to the newcomer. "This chap isn't to be bullied, d'you see, because he doesn't happen to be like everybody else. Give him a fair show and see what he's made of, and he'll come out all right I expect." "Please, Haviland, he cheeked Jarnley," cut in a smaller boy who was one of the last-named's admirers. "Small wonder if he did," was the uncompromising answer. "Now clear inside all of you, for you're blocking the way, and it's time for call-over. Who'll ring the bell for me?"