"Is that you, Thomas? And you, Don?"

The boys let go their hold and stood up, shamed but defiant.

Immediately the master was on his feet, and with a swift, fierce blow,
caught Thomas on the chin. Thomas, taken off his guard, fell with a thud
on the floor.

"Stop that, young man!" said the minister, catching his arm. "That's a
coward's blow."

"Hands off!" said the master, shaking himself free and squaring up to
him.

"Ye would, would ye?" said the minister, gripping him by the neck and
shaking him as he might a child. "Lift ye're hand to me, would ye?
I'll break you're back to ye, and that I will." So saying, the minister
seized him by the arms and held him absolutely helpless. The master
ceased to struggle, and put down his hands.

"Ay, ye'd better, my man," said the minister, giving him a fling
backward.

Meantime Don had been holding snow to Thomas's head, and had brought him
round.

"Now, then," said the minister to the boys, "what does all this mean?"

The boys were all silent, but the master spoke.