A butt for their coarse jests and dull-witted railleries, and sometimes the

Victim of small spitefulnesses at the hands of Canty and Hugo when the

Ruffler's back was turned. None but Canty and Hugo really disliked him.

Some of the others liked him, and all admired his pluck and spirit. During two

Or three days, Hugo, in whose ward and charge the king was, did what he

Covertly could to make the boy uncomfortable; and at night, during the

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Customary orgies, he amused the company by putting small indignities upon

him — always as if by accident. Twice he stepped upon the king's toes —

Accidentally — and the king, as became his royalty, was contemptuously

Unconscious of it and indifferent to it; but the third time Hugo entertained

Himself in that way, the king felled him to the ground with a cudgel, to the

Prodigious delight of the tribe. Hugo, consumed with anger and shame,

Sprang up, seized a cudgel, and came at his small adversary in a fury.

Instantly a ring was formed around the gladiators, and the betting and

Cheering began. But poor Hugo stood no chance whatever. His frantic and

lubberly 'prentice-work found but a poor market for itself when pitted

Against an arm which had been trained by the first masters of Europe in

Single-stick, quarter-staff, and every art and trick of swordsmanship. The