e, and Mr. Hobby's pupils suddenly
became warriors.

"The Spaniards must be conquered and driven out of English territory,"
shouted George to his men.

"The Spaniards can't be expelled from their stronghold," shouted back
their defiant commander, William Bustle. "You advance at your peril."

"You resist at your peril," replied George. "The only terms of peace are
_surrender_, SURRENDER!"

"Spaniards never surrender!" shouted General Bustle; and his men
supplemented his defiant attitude with a yell. "We are here to fight,
not to surrender!"

"Forward! march," cried the English general in response to the
challenge: and the hostile forces, with sticks and corn-stalks,
waged mimic warfare with the tact and resolution of veterans. Charges,
sieges and battles followed in quick succession, affording great sport
for the boys, who were, unconsciously, training for real warfare in the
future.

William Bustle was the equal of George in ability and skill to handle
his youthful army, but the latter possessed a magnetic power that really
made him commander-in-chief of Hobby's school. He was regarded as the
military organizer of these juvenile forces, and hence the meritorious
author of their greatest fun.

One of the stories that has come down to us from George's school-days is
honorable to him as a truth-telling boy. A difficulty arose among
several boys in school, and it grew into a quarrel. Three or four of
George's companions were engaged in the melee, and some hard blows were
given back and forth. Other boys were much wrought upon by the trouble,
and allowed their sympathies to draw them to the side of one party or
the other. Thus the school was divided in opinion upon the question,
each party blaming the other with more or less demonstration.

"What is this that I hear about a quarrel among you, boys?" inquired
Master Hobby, on learning of the trouble. "Dogs delight to bark and
bite."

The boys made no answer, but looked at each other significantly, some of
them smiling, others frowning. Mr. Hobby continued:

"Is it true that some of my boys have been fighting?"

No one answered. Evidently Mr. Hobby knew more about the affair than any
of them supposed.

"Well, I am not surprised that you have nothing to say about it," added
Mr. Hobby. "There is not much to be said in favor of fighting. But I
must know the truth about it. How is it, William (addressing William
Bustle), what do you know about it?"

William glanc