MARTIN RATTLER. 23

down upon the greensward. But Martin could not
hope to do this a second time. Bob now knew the
vigour of his assailant, and braced himself warily to
the combat, commencing operations by giving Martin
a tremendous blow on the point of his nose, and an-
other on the chest. These had the effect of tempering
Martin’s rage with a salutary degree of caution, and
of eliciting from the spectators sundry cries of warn-
ing on the one hand, and admiration on the other,
while the young champions revolved warily round
each other, and panted vehemently.

- The battle that was fought that day was one of
a thousand. It created as great a sensation in the
village school as did the battle of Waterloo in En-
gland. It was a notable fight, such as had not taken
place within the memory of the oldest boy in the
village, and from which, in after years, events of
Juvenile history were dated — especially pugilistic
events, of which, when a good one came off, it used
to be said that “such a battle had not taken place
since the year of the Great Fight.” Bob Croaker
was a noted fighter. Martin Rattler was, up to this
date, an untried hero, Although fond of rough play
and boisterous mischief, he had an unconquerable
aversion to earnest fighting, and very rarely indeed

returned home with a black eye—much to the satis-