e him, having
gone very pale over the prospect of a repetition of what he had just
undergone.

"Yes, sir," he faltered, simply not daring to lie.

"I know you were," and again quickly the cane was drawn forth from its
accustomed dwelling place. Then, as Jarnley was beginning to whine for
mercy, the master as quickly replaced it.

"I'll try another plan this time," he said. "There's nothing like
variety." The room grinned--"You'll do seven hundred and fifty lines
for talking in school hours, and you're gated till they're done." The
room was disappointed, for it was looking forward to another execution,
moreover the bulk of it hated Jarnley. It consoled itself, however, by
looking forward to something else, viz.: what was going to happen after
school, and the smaller boys did not in the least envy Anthony.

The latter, for his part, knew what a thrashing was in store for him
should he fail to make good his escape; wherefore the moment the word to
dismiss was uttered, he affected a strategic movement which should
enable him to gain the door under convoy of the retiring master, while
not seeming to do so by design. Even in this he would hardly have
succeeded, but that a simultaneous rush for the door interposed a crowd
between him and his pursuers, and again his luck was in the ascendant,
and he escaped, leaving Jarnley and Co. to wreak their vengeance on some
of the smaller boys for getting in their way.

Anthony had been put into Haviland's dormitory, which contained ten
other boys, and was a room at the end of a much larger one containing
forty. This also was under Haviland's jurisdiction, being kept in order
by three other prefects. At night he was left entirely in peace, beyond
a slight practical joke or two at first, for the others were not big
enough to bully him, what time their ruler was perforce out of the room.
Besides, they rather liked him, for, as we have heard so unguardedly
divulged, he would tell them wonderful tales of his own country--for he
was old enough to just remember some of the incidents of the war, and
could describe with all the verve and fire of the native gift of
narrative, the appearance of the terrible impis, shield- and spear-armed
as they went forth to battle, the thunder of the war-song, and the grim
and imposing battle array. He could tell, too, of vengeful and bleeding
warriors, returning sorely wounded, of sudden panic flights of women and
children--himself among them--and