d humour.

"Very well, Blackall," said Ernest; "we are all glad to hear what you
say, and we intend to rely on your promise; but remember that we are all
united to resist aggression, and that the moment you break your promise,
we shall take steps to punish you. Now release him."

In obedience to the orders of their leader, some of the boys cast off
the lashings which secured their prisoner to the tree, but they wisely
took care to keep him blindfolded to the last, that he might be unable
to injure them. His hands and legs being set free, they all hurried
back to their ranks, where they stood in two compact bodies as before,
bidding defiance to any attack he might venture to make on them.

"You may take your handkerchief off your eyes and go free," said Ernest.

Hearing this, the humbled bully began pulling away at the handkerchief
round his eyes, much to the amusement of the lookers-on, for he had
considerable difficulty in untying the knot, and getting it off his
head. His first movement showed clearly that he was much inclined to
break the articles of peace, but when he saw the formidable array of
boys drawn up on either side of him, with Bracebridge at the head of one
party, and Buttar at that of the other, discretion prevailed, and with a
sulky, downcast look, he turned round and walked away across the fields
in an opposite direction to that which he saw the hostile armies were
taking. Ernest suppressed the commencement of a cheer in which his
supporters very naturally showed an inclination to indulge.

"Let him go, and treat him with the silent contempt he deserves," he
observed. "He has got a lesson which he will not easily forget; but at
the same time we shall all do well not to trust him. He will not let
the matter pass without trying to revenge himself on some of us."

Blackall heard the first part of Ernest's remarks. He turned round as
if to give vent to his feelings; but not finding words to express
himself, he stamped with his foot, and continued on in the direction he
was going.

"I wonder whether he will go and complain to the Doctor of the thrashing
we have given him," exclaimed Bouldon, as they were marching homeward.
"I certainly did not expect to see him take it so tamely. I expected
that he would have fought and struggled to the last, like the rover's
crew the song talks about. Instead of that, he struck his colours in a
wonderfully short space of time."

"Oh, those bullies are alway