ct as the leader of their party.

"Oh, you fellows were afraid to take care of yourselves!" exclaimed
Blackall, when he saw Lemon and Buttar approaching. "Well, we will see
what we can do."

There were full thirty boys on each side--nearly half the school. None
of the bigger boys, of course, condescended to play with hoops.
Blackall and Lemon, indeed, made it understood that they only joined as
leaders, and on no account for their own amusement, while there were a
good many small boys who were considered too weak to take part in so
rough a sport. The armies were drawn up in double line, one at each end
of the gravel playground. At a signal given, they rushed forward to the
deadly strife, some striking away at their heavy hoops with all their
might, and using clubs rather than hoop-sticks. Ernest offered a great
contrast to those heavy chargers. He entered the battle with his light
hoop and hoop-stick, and when the signal was given, rushed forward in
the van to commence the strife. On came Blackall, highly indignant to
see a new boy taking the lead in so prominent a way. He struck his hoop
with a force sufficient to overthrow not only Ernest's hoop, but Ernest
himself; but the young champion knew well what he was about. Instead of
waiting for the blow, by a dexterous turn he brought the edge of his
light hoop against the side of Blackall's, which went reeling away among
the following crowd, and was instantly upset. Ernest was in time to
treat another hoop of the second line in the same fashion, and then he
sprang on with a shout of victory to the end of the ground. Several
times the two parties changed sides, and each time five or six hoops
went down, sometimes more. It was a regular tournament, such as was
fought by the knights of old, only hoops were used instead of horses,
and hoop-sticks in lieu of lances; but the spirit which animated the
breasts of the combatants was the same, and probably it was enjoyed as
keenly. Blackall stood on one side, eyeing with revengeful feelings the
success which attended Ernest wherever he moved. Backwards and forwards
he went; and although constantly charged and marked out for destruction
by the biggest fellows on the opposite side, always avoiding them, and
seldom failing to strike down one or more hoops in every course.
Blackall could not understand how it was. He was not aware what a
well-practised eye, good nerves, and a firm will could accomplish.
Ernest's father