ked the man, trying to mince his broad
rough accents into Bruce's delicate tones; and he condescended to add no
more, but turned round to catch his horses, which had trotted through
the open gate of a neighbouring field, and were now quietly grazing.

"I hope, gentleman," said Brogten, bluntly, "that you're not going to
believe that blackguard's word against ours."

"You forget, sir," said Mr Norton, the tall don, "that what the
blackguard, (as you are pleased to call him), said is confirmed by a
gentleman here."

"And impugned by three gentlemen," said Bruce, who felt how thoroughly
he was in disgrace.

"Do you mean to deny, Bruce, that you swore at the man first, and then
cut his ropes, when he was already stopping his barge?" asked Lillyston.

"I mean to say he wouldn't move when we told him."

"I appeal to Home," said Lillyston; "didn't the man instantly stop when
he understood why we wanted him to do so?"

"Yes," said Julian, who, still dizzy with Brogten's blow, was standing a
little apart, "I am bound to say that the man was entirely in the
right."

"I am inclined to think so," said Mr Norton, with scorn in his eye; and
so saying, he took the little proctor's arm, and strode away, while the
crowd of undergraduates also broke up, and streamed off in twos and
threes.

"Do you mean to pay that fellow for his rope, Bruce?" asked Lillyston;
"if not, _I do_."

"Pay!" said Brogten, with an explosion of oaths; "I'll _pay_ you and
your sizar friend there for this, depend upon it."

"We're not afraid," said Lillyston, quietly. Julian only answered the
threat by a bow, and the two walked off to the bargee, who, in despair
and anger, was knotting together the cut pieces of his rope.

Lillyston slipped a sovereign into his hand, and told him how sorry he
was for what had happened.

"Thank you, sir," said the man, humbly; "it's a hard thing for a poor
chap to be treated as I've been; but _you're_ a rale gentleman."

"Well, do me one favour, then. Promise not to say a word to, or take
any notice of, those three fellows as they pass you."

The man promised; but there was no need to have done so, for furious as
Brogten was, he and his companions were too crestfallen to take any
notice of the bargee in passing, except by contemptuous looks, which he
returned with interest. On the whole, it struck them that they would
not make a particularly creditable display in hall that evening, and
therefore they partook i