'Straight, Reggie, you young duffer,' said Allan, settling himself to give professional advice. 'Give it to him from the shoulder.' 'I say, what's the row?' asked Hamish, who came strolling down to the scene; 'so these two have come to loggerheads, have they?' 'Not they,' replied Allan carelessly; 'it's only practice.' Marjorie's curly head rose above a rock behind which she had been lying _perdu_; and when she saw what was going on she jumped up and scrambled to the other side. 'Whatever is the matter?' she cried. 'Can't you make them stop, Allan?' 'Practice-fight,' replied Allan; 'don't call out, Marjorie; you'll distract their attention.' Reggie, unused to fighting, soon began to have the worst of it, but he struggled manfully until a well-planted blow from Harry knocked the breath out of him. 'That's enough for a beginning,' said Allan. 'You've done not so badly, Reggie, for the first time, and you'll get into it all right by practice.' 'But what did he go at me for?' cried Harry, with a blank expression of countenance. 'I didn't do anything to him.' 'Nobody said you did, you duffer,' replied Allan; 'Reggie only wants to be able to fight the fellows at school; and you and he can have a go at each other every day if you like.' 'Dear me,' said Mr. Matthews the minister, coming towards the group with a concerned face; 'I am sorry to see that some of you have been quarrelling. Pray, what has been the subject of dispute?' 'It's nothing,' said Allan, 'only practice. There's no quarrel at all.' 'What's this? what's this?' broke in the somewhat rasping voice of the Sheriff, who had followed Mr. Matthews, unobserved by the young people; 'it seems that half-a-dozen boys cannot be together without coming to blows.' 'They're not fighting seriously,' cried Marjorie; 'it's only fun.' Mr. Matthews was looking both grieved and puzzled. 'Dear me,' he said, shaking his head, 'this is most distressing. To fight when you have not any ground for quarrelling. Why did you not endeavour to dissuade them, Miss Marjorie?' 'It's all right,' said Marjorie. 'What would be the good of interfering?' The Sheriff said nothing, but he was looking so grimly amused that Marjorie added hastily, 'Why, it doesn't matter! Why shouldn't they fight if it amuses them? When once you learn to understand boys you know that it's no use being surprised at anything they do!' 'Allan! Reggie!' Mr. Stewart's voice was calling somewhat impatiently. 'Go and look for the young ladies and gentlemen, Duncan; quick, don't lose time, we're late already.'