the acknowledged leader; and therefore more cordially hated than the
rest. It was the Roundhead hating the Cavalier; and the Cavalier making
merry at the expense of the Roundhead.

There was only one boy in the Confirmation Class who was doubtful as to
what camp should claim him, and that was little Marcus Henning. He was
a kind of amphibious animal who, as he thought, really belonged
nowhere. His father was of peasant origin, but by his prosperity and his
occupation had risen out of the class to which he was formerly attached,
without yet rising into the ranks of the gentry, who now, as always,
looked with scorn upon interlopers. Thus it came to pass that little
Marcus, whose inclinations drew him toward Viggo's party, was yet forced
to associate with the partisans of Halvor Reitan.

It was not a vulgar ambition "to pretend to be better than he was" which
inspired Marcus with a desire to change his allegiance, but a deep,
unreasoning admiration for Viggo Hook. He had never seen any one who
united so many superb qualities, nor one who looked every inch as noble
as he did.

It did not discourage him in the least that his first approaches met
with no cordial reception. His offer to communicate to Viggo where there
was a hawk's nest was coolly declined, and even the attractions of fox
dens and rabbits' burrows were valiantly resisted. Better luck he had
with a pair of fan-tail pigeons, his most precious treasure, which Viggo
rather loftily consented to accept, for, like most genteel boys in the
valley, he was an ardent pigeon-fancier, and had long vainly importuned
his father to procure him some of the rarer breeds.

He condescended to acknowledge Marcus's greeting after that, and to
respond to his diffident "Good-morning" and "Good-evening," and Marcus
was duly grateful for such favors. He continued to woo his idol with
raisins and ginger-snaps from the store, and other delicate attentions,
and bore the snubs which often fell to his lot with humility and
patience.

But an event soon occurred which was destined to change the relations
of the two boys. Halvor Reitan called a secret meeting of his partisans,
among whom he made the mistake to include Marcus, and agreed with them
to lie in ambush at the bend of the road, where it entered the forest,
and attack Viggo Hook and his followers. Then, he observed, he would
"make him dance a jig that would take the starch out of him."

The others declared that this would be ca