Part 29 (1/2)

”Eagles,” said Ted Pompey.

”Standards,” said Phil. ”That's right: are we to have proper eagles, Caesar Bevis?”

”Yes,” said Bevis. ”Three bra.s.s rings round sticks will do. Two eagles each, don't you see, Ted, like flags, only eagles, that's proper.”

”Who keeps the ground wins the victory,” said Cecil.

”Right,” said Ted. ”I shall soon tie up Bevis--we must bring cords.”

”You must catch him first,” said Mark.

”Captains must be guarded,” said Val. ”Strong guards round them and awful fighting there,” licking his lips at the thought of it.

”Captain Caesar Bevis,” said Tim, who had not spoken before, but had listened very carefully. ”Is there to be any punching?”

”Hum!” Bevis hesitated, and looked at Ted.

”I think so,” said Ted, who had long arms and hard fists.

”If there's punching,” cried Charlie from the oak, into which he had climbed for safety; ”if there's punching, only the big blokes can play.”

”No punching,” said Mark eagerly, not that he feared, being stout and st.u.r.dy, but seizing at anything to neutralise Ted's big soldiers.

”No punching,” shouted a dozen at once; ”only pus.h.i.+ng.”

”Very well,” said Bevis, ”no punching, and no tripping--pus.h.i.+ng and wrestling quite fair.”

”Wrestling,” said Ted directly. ”That will do.”

”Stupid,” said Mark to Bevis; then louder, ”Only nice wrestling, no 'scrumps.h.i.+ng.'”

”No 'scrumps.h.i.+ng,'” shouted everybody.

Ted stamped his foot, but it was of no use. Everybody was for fair and pleasant fighting.

”Never mind,” said Ted. ”We'll shove you out of the field.”

”Yah! yah!” said Charlie, making faces at him.

”If anybody does what's agreed shan't be done,” said Mark, still anxious to stop Ted's design; ”that will lose the battle, even if it's won.”

”It ought to be all fair,” said Val, who was very big, but straightforward.

”If anything's done unfair, that counts against whoever does it,” said Cecil.

”No sneaking business,” shouted everybody. ”No sneaking and hitting behind.”

”Certainly not,” said Bevis. ”All quite fair.”

”Somebody must watch Ted, then,” said Charlie from the oak.