He took out his knife, and under pretence of joining in the
sport, drew near to Shargar, and with rapid hand cut the cords--all
but those that bound his feet, which were less easy to reach without
exposing himself defenceless.
The boys of course turned upon Robert. But ere they came to more
than abusive words a diversion took place.
Mrs. Innes, the school-master's wife--a stout, kind-hearted woman,
the fine condition of whose temperament was clearly the result of
her physical prosperity--appeared at the door which led to the
dwelling-house above, bearing in her hands a huge tureen of
potato-soup, for her motherly heart could not longer endure the
thought of dinnerless boys. Her husband being engaged at a parish
meeting, she had a chance of interfering with success.
But ere Nancy, the servant, could follow with the spoons and plates,
Wattie Morrison had taken the tureen, and out of spite at Robert,
had emptied its contents on the head of Shargar, who was still tied
by the feet, with the words: 'Shargar, I anoint thee king over us,
and here is thy crown,' giving the tureen, as he said so, a push on
to his head, where it remained.
Shargar did not move, and for one moment could not speak, but the
next he gave a shriek that made Robert think he was far worse
scalded than turned out to be the case. He darted to him in rage,
took the tureen from his head, and, his blood being fairly up now,
flung it with all his force at Morrison, and felled him to the
earth.
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