ised he would do his best, and the elder brother was most
grateful.

"I shall be ever so much easier _now_," he said, "and it's awfully good
of you, Riddell. I wouldn't care for the young 'un to go wrong, you
know. Thanks very much, old man."

And so it came to pass that among the legacies which the old captain
left behind him at Willoughby, the one which fell to Riddell was a young
brother, slightly rickety in character and short of ballast.

A parting request like Wyndham's would have been very hard for any
friend to refuse; but to Riddell the promise "to look after young
Wyndham" meant a great deal more than it would have done to many other
fellows. It was not enough for him to make occasional inquiries as to
his young _protege_, or even to try to shield him when he fell into
scrapes. Riddell's idea of looking after a rickety youngster included a
good deal more than this, and from the moment the old captain had left,
amid all his _own_ tribulations and adversities, the thought of young
Wyndham had saddled itself on Riddell's conscience with an uncomfortable
weight.

This was the reason why he made the boy free of his study, and gave up a
good deal of his own time in helping him with his work. And it was the
same reason which prompted him on the afternoon spoken of in the last
chapter, much against his inclination, to accost the three truants in
Shellport, and request Wyndham to come to his study.

"You're in for a nice sermon, my boy," said Gilks, as the three walked
home.

"I wish he hadn't seen us," said Wyndham, feeling uncomfortable.

"Why, you don't suppose he'll lick you?" said Silk, laughing.

"No, but he'll be awfully vexed."

"Vexed!" cried Gilks. "Poor fellow! How I'd like to comfort him! Take
my advice and forget all about going to his study. He'll not be sorry,
I can tell you."

"Oh, I must go," said Wyndham. "I don't want to offend him."

"Kind of you," said Silk, laughing. "Funny thing how considerate a
fellow can be to another fellow who does his lessons for him."

Wyndham blushed, but said nothing. He knew these two companions were
not the sort of boys his brother would have cared to have him associate
with, nor did he particularly like them himself. But when two senior
boys take the trouble to patronise a junior and make fun of his
"peculiarities," as they called his scruples, it is hardly surprising
that the youngster comes out a good way to meet his patrons.

Wyndham, b