, Traddles was; and held it as a solemn duty in the
boys to stand by one another. He suffered for this code of honour on
several occasions. One evening we had a great spread up in our room after
time for lights to be down, and we all got happily out of it but Traddles.
He was too unfortunate even to come through a supper like anybody else. He
was taken ill in the night--quite prostrate he was--in consequence of
Crab; and after being drugged to an extent which Demple (whose father was
a doctor) said was enough to undermine a horse's constitution, received a
caning and six chapters of Greek Testament for refusing to confess.

At another time, when Steerforth (who was the only parlour-boarder and the
lion of the school) laughed in church, the Beadle, who thought the
offender was Traddles, took _him_ out. I see him now, going away in
custody, despised by the congregation. He never said who was the real
offender, although he smarted for it next day, and was imprisoned so many
hours that he came forth with a whole churchyardful of skeletons swarming
all over his Latin dictionary. But he had his reward. Steerforth said
there was nothing of the sneak in Traddles, and we all felt that to be the
highest praise.

On still a third occasion during my half-year at Salem House I have a
vivid recollection of Traddles in distress; that time for siding with the
down-trodden under-teacher, Mr. Mell, in a heated discussion between that
gentleman and Steerforth.

The discussion took place on a Saturday which should have properly been a
half-holiday, but as Mr. Creakle was indisposed, and the noise in the
playground would have disturbed him; and the weather was not favourable
for going out walking, we were ordered into school in the afternoon, and
set some lighter tasks than usual; and Mr. Mell, a pale, delicately-built,
little man, was detailed to keep us in order, which he tried in vain to
accomplish.

Boys started in and out of their places, playing at puss-in-the-corner
with other boys; there were laughing boys, singing boys, talking boys,
dancing boys, howling boys; boys shuffled with their feet, boys whirled
about him, grinning, making faces, mimicking him behind his back and
before his eyes: mimicking his poverty, his boots, his coat, his mother,
every thing belonging to him that they should have had consideration for.

"Silence!" cried Mr. Mell, suddenly rising up, and striking his desk with
the book. "What does this mean! It's i