ence of men who exercise a mighty privilege fearlessly.

"Stick up both hands," said Gosse. "We shall be short."

"It wouldn't be fair," said Dick, boldly.

"Howling prig!" said Gosse, in disgust, "canting young hypocrite; you'll
get it hot, I can tell you, if--"

"Shut up!" shouted Dick, rounding on him with a fierceness which
astonished himself. It was a show to see the way in which Gosse
collapsed under this thunderclap of righteous indignation. He looked
round at Dick out of the corners of his eyes, very much as a small dog
contemplates the boot that has just helped him half-way across the road,
and positively forgot to keep his own grimy hand raised aloft till the
counting was finished.

"Pauncefote has 108 votes. Now those who are in favour of Duffield?"

There was great excitement, and no little uproar, as the rival party
made their show. Cries of, "Cheat! both hands up!" rose from the
shocked adherents of Pauncefote; and a good deal of quiet service, in
holding the arms of weaklings down to their sides, was rendered on the
frontier. Finally, it was found that Duffield had in votes; whereat
there were tremendous cheers and counter-cheers, not unmixed with
recriminations, and imputations and threats, which promised our heroes a
lively time of it when finally they adjourned to the Den.

Before that happened, however, a solemn ceremony had to be gone through,
in which they were personally interested. The chairman read out a list
of new boys, and ordered them to answer to their names, and come forward
on to the platform. It was a nervous ordeal, even for the most self-
composed, to be thus publicly trotted out in the presence of all
Templeton, and to hear the derisive cheers with which his name and
appearance were greeted as he obeyed.

"Look at his legs!" cried one, as Dick, inwardly hoping he was making a
favourable impression, passed up the hall and mounted the steps.
Whereupon Dick suddenly became conscious of his lower limbs--which, by
the way, were as straight and tight a pair of shanks as any boy of
fourteen could boast--and tried to hide them behind a chair.

"I can see them still!" cried a shrill voice, just as he thought he had
succeeded; and poor Dick, who, an hour ago, had almost forgotten he was
a new boy, had to endure a storm of laughter, and look as much at his
ease as he could, while all Templeton mounted on chairs, and stretched
its necks to catch a glimpse of his unfortunate legs.