The Gold-Stealers - A Story of Waddy by Edward Dyson
page 49 of 284 (17%)
page 49 of 284 (17%)
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violated the rule of battle and outraged the noble principle of fair
play; and, worse and worse, had disgraced him in the eyes of the world by making him appear as a weakling seeking protection behind a despised petticoat. He reviled Kitty for that action in such overwhelming language that the poor girl fled in tears, and next day it was only with the greatest difficulty that she persuaded him to accept two pears and a blood-alley as a peace offering. Dolf Belman came later with a little comfort. 'Gotter junk o' rosum,' he said, fumbling in his school-bag. 'Hoo! have you though?' said Parrot Cann. 'Rosum's great. Put some on my hand oust when I went to ole Pepper's school at Yarraman, an' near died laughin' when he gave me twenty cuts fer copy-in' me sums.' The boys clustered about Dolf, who produced a piece of resin about the size of a hen's egg, and waved it triumphantly. 'You pound it up wif a rock,' said he confidently, 'an' rub it on yer hands.' The pounding process was begun at once, amidst a babel of opinions. It was a fond illusion amongst the boys that resin so applied deadened the effects of the cane. It had been tried scores of times without in the least mitigating the agony of Ham's cuts, but the faith of youth is not easily shaken; so Ted's spirits revived wonderfully, and Dick developed a keen interest in the pounding. Dolf pulverised the 'rosum,' declaring that it should be powdered in one particular way which was a great secret known only to a happy few. If it were powdered in any other way, the |
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