ion. Brave men
before my time had been boycotted. I had read their stories, and
sympathised with them, and hated (as I hate still) the miscreants who,
in the name of "patriotism" had acted the sneak's and coward's part to
ruin them. Now I was going to taste something of their hardships at the
hands of my "patriotic" schoolfellows; and my spirit rose as I resolved
to hold up my head with the bravest of them.

Forewarned is forearmed; and when I went into school that afternoon I
gave no one a chance of avoiding me. I spread myself out as comfortably
as possible at my place, and shifted some of the papers and books which
crowded my own desk into the vacant desks on either side of me, first
ejecting rather ostentatiously a few papers and notebooks which had been
left in them by their late owners.

I was conscious of one or two glances directed my way across the room;
but these only added to my pleasure as I emptied Sadgrove's inkpot into
my own, and proceeded cheerfully to cut my initials on Williams's desk.
When I was put up to construe, I managed to get through my passage
without any sign of trepidation; and when at last the class was
dismissed, I took the wind out of the sails of my boycotters by
remaining some minutes later than any one else, completing the
decoration of my new quarters.

It was easy enough in the playground that afternoon to keep clear of my
fellow human beings; and I had, as I persuaded myself, a jolly hour in
the gymnasium all by myself. Fellows looked in at the door now and
then, but did not disturb my peace; and it was rather gratifying than
otherwise to feel that as long as I chose to occupy the place every one
else would have to wait outside.

"After all," thought I, as I went to bed that night, "boycotting isn't
as bad as people make it out. I've had all I wanted to-day. No one has
annoyed me or injured me. I can do pretty much as I like; in fact, I do
more than I ever used to be able to do. If any one is loser by it all,
it's the other fellows, and not me. I rather enjoy it.

"Still," I could not help reflecting; as I turned over and went to
sleep, "I think Harrison might have stuck by me."

When I woke next morning it was with a sense of something on my mind. I
tried hard to persuade myself it was amusement, and went down to
breakfast wondering how Draven's would keep it up. I found myself "top-
hammer" again--or I should say "top-muttoner," for ham was a luxury
reserved onl