The Widening Circle

"What did you say to him?"

"I said nothing."

Then the Brangwen girls were in for a feud with the
Pillinses, or Phillipses.

"You won't pull my hair again, Billy Pillins," said Theresa,
walking with her sisters, and looking superbly at the freckled,
red-haired boy.

"Why shan't I?" retorted Billy Pillins.

"You won't because you dursn't," said the tiresome
Theresa.

"You come here, then, Tea-pot, an' see if I dursna."

Up marched Tea-pot, and immediately Billy Pillins lugged her
black, snaky locks. In a rage she flew at him. Immediately in
rushed Ursula and Gudrun, and little Katie, in clashed the other
Phillipses, Clem and Walter, and Eddie Anthony. Then there was a
fray. The Brangwen girls were well-grown and stronger than many
boys. But for pinafores and long hair, they would have carried
easy victories. They went home, however, with hair lugged and
pinafores torn. It was a joy to the Phillips boys to rip the
pinafores of the Brangwen girls.

Then there was an outcry. Mrs. Brangwen would not have
it; no, she would not. All her innate dignity and
standoffishness rose up. Then there was the vicar lecturing the
school. "It was a sad thing that the boys of Cossethay could not
behave more like gentlemen to the girls of Cossethay. Indeed,
what kind of boy was it that should set upon a girl, and kick
her, and beat her, and tear her pinafore? That boy deserved
severe castigation, and the name of coward, for no boy
who was not a coward--etc., etc."