nd he encountered many youngsters of his years who had already
done much more than dally on the brink of life, some, indeed, having
plunged deep into waters not overclean.

Some of these last regarded him at least as one who neglected his
opportunities, but his great laugh at their callow jests and their
advice to him was so frank and indifferent a thing that they found it
singularly baffling. 'Twas indeed as if a man of ripe years and wisdom
had laughed at them with good-nature, because he knew they could not
understand the thing experience had taught him.

"Why should I be pleased because a beauty older than my mother laughs
and teases me," he said. "I am but a boy, and she knows it full well,
and would only play with me to see if I am a fool who can be made a
toy. I am too big," stretching his great arms, "to sit at ladies' feet
and have my curls stroked as if I were a lap-dog. A fellow such as I
should be exercising his body and putting somewhat in his brain. Why
should I overdrink and overfeed myself and give my strength to follies?
'Tis not my taste. On my life, I would rather get up at daybreak with a
clean tongue and a clear head and go out to leap and ride and fence and
toss the bar with well-strung muscles. Some day I shall meet a beauty
whom I would be ready for." And he laughed his big, musical, boyish
laugh again and his tawny eye sparkled.

At the University there were temptations enough to lead youth to folly,
even when it was not such youth as his, and therefore a shining mark.
The seed Charles Stuart had sown had flourished and grown rank and
strong, so that the great seat of learning was rich with dissolute
young fools and madcaps and their hangers-on. But even the most foolish
swaggerer of them could not call milksop a man who could outride,
outleap, outfence, outhunt him; who could drive the four horses of his
coach to London and back at such a pace and in such a manner as made
purple-faced old stage-coach drivers shake their heads with glee, and
who, in a wrestling-match, could break a man's back at a throw if he
chose to be unmerciful. Besides this, he was popular for a score of
reasons, being no sanctimonious preacher of his doctrines, but as
joyous a liver as any among them and as open-handed and high of spirit.

"'Tis not for me to say how other men should live," was his simple and
straightforward creed. "I live as I like best and find best pays me.
'Tis for others to seek out and follow what