k their defeat very good-naturedly,
and with sincerity congratulated Ernest and his side on their success.
A few of the less amiably disposed were somewhat sulky, especially among
those of his own size; so was Barber, who was afraid that he should lose
the influence he wished to obtain from being beaten by the younger boys.
This was only one of several games. Ernest was not always successful;
twice his side were beat thoroughly, but they made up for it afterwards,
and in the end won more games than the bigger boys, much to the surprise
of the latter, who could not tell how it had occurred. Some, like
Barber, said that there must have been some underhand play, and abused
Lemon as the cause of their defeat. Lemon at last heard some of their
remarks.

"If big fellows will smoke, and booze, and over-eat themselves, how can
they expect to be as active and wide-awake as little fellows, who have
not begun such follies?" he remarked quietly. "It matters little, let
me assure them, what such fellows say of me."

Both Ernest and Buttar had thought a good deal about the matter of
Ellis. After a lengthened consultation, when their hearts relented
towards him, they resolved to press him once more to join their games;
but he resolutely refused.

"No," he replied. "You have believed me guilty, or you would not have
treated me coldly. I do not blame you--far from it. If you heard the
story about me, as I know it has been repeated, you could not have done
otherwise, unless you had thought right to believe my word before that
of others. Should the time ever come when I can, to your satisfaction,
prove my innocence, we will then be on the same terms as before."

"Oh, but we do believe you innocent, Ellis," said Ernest. "Not a shadow
of doubt remains on my mind that you are so, and I am sure Buttar thinks
as I do."

"Very well," answered Ellis, with unusual coldness; "I rejoice to hear
it. I have taken my resolution. I cannot bear fluctuations of
friendship. If I am ever able to prove my innocence, as I ought to have
endeavoured to prove it long ago, I trust that we shall stand on the
same footing that we did before."

Nothing any of his friends could say after this altered the resolution
Ellis had formed of not playing in any of the games with the other boys,
or of associating on intimate terms with any of them. Still he himself
was far from idle in his play-hours. He was a constant exerciser on the
gymnastic poles,