They are quite ready to fight--no boys in the school more so; but they are prepostors, and understand their office, and can't uphold unrighteous causes.
"I haven't been near his old barn this half," cries East.

"Nor I," "Nor I," chime in Tom and Martin.
"Now, Willum, didn't you see 'em there last week ?" "Ees, I seen 'em sure enough," says Willum, grasping a prong he carried, and preparing for action.
The boys deny stoutly, and Willum is driven to admit that "if it worn't they 'twas chaps as like 'em as two peas'n;" and "leastways he'll swear he see'd them two in the yard last Martinmas," indicating East and Tom.
Holmes has had time to meditate.

"Now, sir," says he to Willum, "you see you can't remember what you have seen, and I believe the boys." "I doan't care," blusters the farmer; "they was arter my fowls to-day--that's enough for I .-- Willum, you catch hold o' t'other chap.
They've been a-sneaking about this two hours, I tells 'ee," shouted he, as Holmes stands between Martin and Willum, "and have druv a matter of a dozen young pullets pretty nigh to death." "Oh, there's a whacker!" cried East; "we haven't been within a hundred yards of his barn; we haven't been up here above ten minutes, and we've seen nothing but a tough old guinea-hen, who ran like a greyhound." "Indeed, that's all true, Holmes, upon my honour," added Tom; "we weren't after his fowls; guinea-hen ran out of the hedge under our feet, and we've seen nothing else." "Drat their talk.

Thee catch hold o' t'other, Willum, and come along wi' un." "Farmer Thompson," said Holmes, warning off Willum and the prong with his stick, while Diggs faced the other shepherd, cracking his fingers like pistol-shots, "now listen to reason.

The boys haven't been after your fowls, that's plain." "Tells 'ee I see'd'em.