All I know is, I came to my corner, when the round was over, with very hard pumps in my chest, and a great desire to fall away.
'Time is up,' cried head-monitor, ere ever I got my breath again; and when I fain would have lingered awhile on the knee of the boy that held me.

John Fry had come up, and the boys were laughing because he wanted a stable lanthorn, and threatened to tell my mother.
'Time is up,' cried another boy, more headlong than head-monitor.

'If we count three before the come of thee, thwacked thou art, and must go to the women.' I felt it hard upon me.

He began to count, one, too, three--but before the 'three' was out of his mouth, I was facing my foe, with both hands up, and my breath going rough and hot, and resolved to wait the turn of it.

For I had found seat on the knee of a boy sage and skilled to tutor me, who knew how much the end very often differs from the beginning.