tail of the dragon.
It had great big red eyes, glowing with tinsel, and wings glittering all
over, and a tongue which looked capable of doing a large amount of
mischief. Loud shouts of applause welcomed the green dragon, as
Monsieur Malin held it up like a shield before him, and moved about the
playground, hissing, and howling, and making all sorts of dreadful
noises.

Tommy Bouldon had joined a club, which produced a magnificent Owl, with
a large head, and huge goggling eyes; and never did owl hiss more loudly
than did their owl as it met Monsieur Malin's terrific dragon. They at
last rushed at each other with such fury, that Tommy's head very nearly
went through the owl's body, which would effectually have prevented it
from flying at the match.

Lemon and Buttar had fraternised, and in front of them marched a
Military Officer, magnificent in a red coat, vast gold epaulets, and no
end of gold braiding and trimming, which glittered finely in the sun,
while his richly ornamented cocked hat, set across his head, had on the
top of it a waving plume of feathers, and a drawn sword in his hand
shone in the sunbeams. He looked very fiercely at the dragon and the
owl, as he did at everybody, for his eyes were large, and round, and
dark.

The Dragon roared, and the Owl hissed at him, when he growled out, "I'll
eat you," which produced loud shouts of laughter from both of them,
while they quietly replied, "You can't."

After the General had shown himself, Ellis walked in, bearing a long
thin pole, wrapped round, it appeared, by a flag. Ernest accompanied
him, carrying a reel of fine but very strong twine. Some boys stared,
and others laughed derisively, and asked if he thought that thing was
going to fly. "You'll see--you'll see," he answered very quietly.

"Fly!--Dat it will--higher dan any of ours, I tell you, boys," observed
Monsieur Malin, who had eyed it attentively.

Ernest and Ellis marched across the playground, into the field beyond,
out of sight, and in less than two minutes returned, bearing aloft a
magnificent Knight in silver armour, with a glittering shield on his
arm, a plume on his helmet, and a spear in his hand. His visor was up,
and his countenance, with a fine black beard and moustache, looked forth
fiercely beneath it, while a band of roses, which was thrown over his
shoulder, hung down and formed a very magnificent tail, glittering with
jewels. No sooner did the gallant knight make his appeara