"`What! Spinks? I should not have expected this of you,' said Tom, releasing my little victim. "`I didn't want to do it,' whimpered Spinks; `but I couldn't help it. I--' "`Yes, yes; I understand. Who was it that set you on?' "`Please, I don't want to tell.' "I am convinced that brave little Spinks would have refused to tell to the end of the chapter, but I saved him further trouble. Wondering, as I stood behind the wall, what kept him so long, I shouted, `Come along, Spinks; look sharp!' "`Oh! I know now who did it,' said Turner. `Go, my boy. I'll relieve you of the apples.' "So saying, he carried the apples to the owner, and Spinks came and told me what had occurred. "`I'll thrash Tom Turner for this,' I said bitterly, as we returned to the school. "For some time past I had made up my mind to fight him. On several occasions I had proved myself to be possessed of a little more bodily strength than Tom; and as regarded endurance and pluck, I felt quite at ease on these points. "Opportunity soon offered. One day I was up a tree, bird-nesting, in one of the lanes near our school. I had flung down my books at the foot of the tree before climbing it. Just as I laid hands on the nest, in which there were four eggs, I heard voices below, and looking down, observed Turner, Tiddler, and Tadpole passing. "`I wonder what careless fellow has flung down his books in that fashion,' said Tom. "`I am the careless fellow!' I shouted. At the same time I flung the nest straight into his upturned face. The result was better than I had expected; for it hit him fair, and the four eggs, bursting on his forehead, poured over his eyes and nose. "This was received with a shout of laughter by the other boys. I leaped to the ground, strode up to Tom with doubled fists, and asked if he would fight me. "`Not if I can help it,' said Tom, quietly wiping his face. "Amazed at his forbearance I scarce knew how to act. At last I said, sneeringly, `I never quite believed you to be a coward until to-day.' "`Whether I'm a coward or not is, perhaps, doubtful; but I came under a promise not to quarrel with you if I could avoid it, and you see, Jacob, I'm trying to keep my promise, though it's not easy.' "`Perhaps that will make it less easy,' I said, suddenly fetching him what was meant to be a slap in the face; but by a prompt withdrawal of his head he let my hand pass. Instantly I fetched him another slap with the left hand, but he caught my wrist, and stopped it. "`Come, Jacob,' said he, in a rather stern voice, `I will fight you, but it must be done in the regular way, on the green.' "Satisfied with this, I left him, to prepare for the encounter.