But that was not so easy, since there were plenty of windows, and it didn’t take the juniors long to remember the fact. The sight of figures skulking away in the darkness soon apprised the guardians of the portal of what was happening and shouts of “Windows, fellows, windows!” was heard and half their number left the portico to intercept the escaping prisoners. That presented upper middle with an excellent opportunity to take a hand again and she seized it eagerly. In a twinkling the doorway was cleared of lower middlers and the juniors came forth. Lower middle, resenting upper middle’s interference, again rallied and tried to force the portico, only to be thrice hurled back before superior numbers. As occasion occurred, the juniors fled to the safety of Manning, or tried to, for not a few were caught and held prisoners by the enemy. Jeers and taunts were exchanged, while the seniors once more attempted to persuade the warring factions to cease hostilities. Finally upper middlers and such juniors as remained with them sallied down the steps in force and the battle broke forth again. It was a running fight now, for the juniors fled helter skelter for the nearby dormitory, protected by upper middlers, while the lower middlers tried to capture them. Confusion reigned supreme. Hugh, who had taken part in the proceedings with zest and had sustained a lump as large as a bantam’s egg over one eye and a set of sore knuckles, became separated from his friends somewhere between Manning and School Hall. A minute before he had been battling with Nick at his side and his back against the rubbish barrel at the corner, but now Nick had disappeared and although the combat waged behind and before him, he was alone and unchallenged. That, thought Hugh, would never do. For the glory of upper middle he must find an adversary. So he raced down the bricks toward the steps of School Hall, where he could discern under the lamplight a group of fellows struggling strenuously. He slowed up as he approached in order to distinguish friend from foe, but, to his surprise, someone pinioned his arms from behind and he was thrust rudely into the group in front of the door. “Here’s another, fellows!” panted his captor. “Get him!” Before he knew it he was being forced up the steps and through the door of School Hall, struggling but helpless, someone holding his arms at his sides and someone’s hand gripped chokingly about his neck. Down the corridor to the stairs, up the stairs, along another corridor and, at last, into a classroom. Then the uncomfortable grasp on his neck was removed, the door slammed, a key turned outside and Hugh, breathless and dizzy but still unconquered, wheeled around with ready fists. The room, one of the smaller ones, was unlighted save for what radiance came through the window from the lamps along the path below, but Hugh could see two other figures in the gloom and he was eager for battle. “Come on,” he challenged. “I’ll take you both!”