t;
and there were but few, if any, who did not enjoy the recital of
Theodore's punishment and disgrace. And from that time Captain Yorke
had become a marked figure with the boys. Before this, he had not been
known to many of them; but now he was pointed out by the few who had
been present at the scene at the fountain, as the Spartan grandfather
who had not hesitated to deal out punishment to his own flesh and
blood, when it seemed to him that justice demanded it. He was often to
be seen now in the park, the centre of an admiring and appreciative
group, to whom he related thrilling adventures which were his own
experience as a sailor and a surfman, holding his audience spell-bound,
not only by their interest in the subject, but also by his quaint and
simple manner of telling.

Among this audience one day, were the two boys who had been present at
the theatre on the night when the captain had made such an exhibition
of himself; and they recognized him at once. Of course, it was soon
spread about that he was the hero of that adventure; and the next
morning at school, Jim was asked if he had not known it. Acknowledging
this, it was then inquired _why_ he had not "got even with Theodore,"
by turning the laugh on him, and telling that it was his grandfather
who had made himself a laughingstock.

"'Cause I wasn't goin' back on the old captain," answered sturdy, loyal
Jim. "He's stood up for me, an' been a good friend; an' I ain't goin'
to point him out for to be laughed at, not if he is Theodore's
grandfather."

He expected to be laughed at in his turn, and stood with defiance and
"laugh if you choose" in his air.

But no one laughed or jeered: somehow his steadfastness struck a chord
in most of those boyish hearts; and Rob Stevens, clapping him on the
shoulder, exclaimed,--

"And 'tain't the first time he's held his tongue, either, is it,
Peanuts? We'll all vote for the feller that stan's by his friends an'
don't go back on 'em. Three cheers for President Jim Washington!"

And if a voice there was silent, save Theodore Yorke's, it was not
noticed in the number which responded.

School-life having by this time rubbed off some of his _freshness_, Jim
had learned that it would be to his own advantage to discard several
from the string of names which he had seen fit to adopt on his
entrance; and he now contented himself with signing his name James R.
L. Washington, which appeared upon all his books and any thing else to