say of him, what
they would think of him. He was perhaps rather ambitious of shining
simply for the sake of shining--a very insufficient reason, all must
agree, if they will but consider how very very pale a light the
brightest genius can shed forth when his knowledge comes to be measured
with that which is required to comprehend a tenth part of the glories
which the universe contains.

The half drew on. Blackall did not relax in his tyranny over the
younger boys, though more than once it brought him into trouble. At
last the Doctor heard of his bullying, and he was confined within bounds
for a month, and had no end of impositions to get up. He promised
amendment; but the punishment did not cure him, and in a short time he
was as bad as ever. He began, as usual, upon those less likely to
complain, and Ellis was one of his first victims. He seemed to take a
peculiar delight in making the poor fellow's existence miserable, and
every day he found some fresh means of torture. Ernest saw this going
on day after day, and at last felt that he could stand it no longer. "I
must get Ellis to stick up to him, or I must do so alone," he exclaimed
to himself.

Although Ellis fancied that he could not play at games, he was very
ingenious, and could make all sorts of things--little carriages of
cardboard, with woodwork, and traces and harness complete, which he
painted and varnished; and boats and vessels, which he cut out of soft
American pine, and scooped out and put decks into them, and cut out
their sails, and rigged them with neat blocks. Sometimes the blocks had
sheaves in them, and the sails were made to hoist up and down, and his
yachts sailed remarkably well and could beat any of those opposed to
them. Then he made little theatres capitally, and painted the scenes
and cut out the characters, and stuck tinsel on to them; and if not as
good as a real play, they afforded a vast amount of amusement. These
talents, however, were not discovered for some time.

We did not disdain to fly kites at our school, but they were very large,
handsome kites, and we used to vie with each other in trying which could
get the largest and strongest and most finely ornamented, and make them
fly the highest.

Our French master, Monsieur Malin, was a great hand at kite-flying. He
did not like cricket, or football, or hockey, or any game in which he
might get hurt, because, as he used to say, "Vat you call my sins are
not manufactured