rst visit
there. His visit was made memorable by an experience which was
certainly of too exciting a nature to be soon forgotten. Having a
leisure afternoon, he went off alone for a stroll along the river-bank,
where he felt sure he would find something to interest him. And in
this he was not disappointed.

He had gone about half-a-mile from the town when, seeing a group of
boys evidently much interested in something, he hurried towards them.
To his surprise he saw that they were making sport of a strange-looking
lad of about his own age, who seemed to be only half-witted. They
wanted him to go into the water, but he held back in a terror-stricken
way that ought to have caused them to desist, but only served to spur
them on. Just as Raoul reached them, they had dragged the poor fellow
to the edge of a little point below which the water was fairly deep,
and, crying out: "Give him a dip; he needs a good wash!" were about to
shove him over the edge, when Raoul, stirred to such indignation that
he quite forgot that he stood alone against half-a-dozen, called out:

"Shame! Shame! Let the poor fellow be! Why do you torment him so?"
and springing into their midst, he tore them away from their victim,
and set him free.

So sudden was his onset--for the boys, being intent upon their _fun_,
had not noticed his approach--that they were completely taken aback,
and the idiot boy, finding himself free, had sufficient sense to make a
break, whereby he got out of their reach ere they recovered from their
surprise. Then they turned upon Raoul, and with coarse oaths demanded
who he was, and what business he had interfering with them. Raoul
realized that he was in a pretty tight place, and had no idea just how
he was to get out of it, but he put on a bold front and replied:

"It's no matter who I am. You had no right to be tormenting that poor
chap."

"Oh, ho! he's a Frenchie. Let us put him in instead," was the cry
raised, and at once they threw themselves upon Raoul.

There were none of them larger than he, but they were six to one, and,
although he fought splendidly, they were not long in bringing him to
the ground. Seizing him roughly by the arms and legs they bore him to
the edge of the bank, and in another instant they would have pitched
him over, when a commanding voice shouted:

"Stop! Let that boy alone!" and again the young rowdies were checked
in their rough sport. This time the interposition came from no