, in consequence of which Liddle and Rigby
became the heroes of the hour. Though nothing more than a piece of
senseless bravado, their prank was considered a very fine and spirited
exploit; indeed, when compared with the many raids and hunting
expeditions of "Eagles" and "Foxes," it was declared that nothing quite
so daring had been attempted for a long while.

Such an amount of notice, combined with open admiration, could not be
without its effect on the two persons chiefly concerned, and by the
time we retired to rest that evening both Liddle and Rigby were puffed
up with conceit, and inclined to indulge in any amount of swagger.

"Now then," cried the former, "who's going to ride the old nag
to-night? Come; we've given you a lead, and it's simple enough."

"I'm not going," muttered one boy, while the rest sought to evade the
challenge with a laugh.

"See here," continued Liddle, in the same boastful manner, "one of you
'Foxes' have a shot. There doesn't seem to be a ha'porth of go among
the lot of you!--Now then, Coverthorne, you can ride, so you're the
very man. You used to be ready for a lark, but now, for all this half,
you seem to have turned into a regular old woman."

Miles's cheek reddened with an angry flush.

"I'm no more a coward than you are yourself," he answered; "but if you
choose to do a senseless thing, that's no reason why every one else in
the room should follow suit."

"Oh, that's a fine excuse! Why don't you say at once that you're
afraid?"

The dialogue was continued in much the same strain, Liddle flinging
taunts with ever-increasing bitterness, till I could see that Miles was
rapidly losing his temper. At length, perhaps rather weakly, the
latter gave way, and declared himself ready to repeat the previous
night's performance.

"I'll do it," he said, "if any one will go with me."

Just at the moment, from a boy's point of view, it seemed to me that
friendship demanded that I should volunteer to share the risk.

"All right, Miles," I exclaimed. "I'll go with you; it's simple
enough."

The other "Foxes" rewarded me with a subdued "Hear, hear!" For their
own sakes they were eager enough for us to make the attempt, but I
confess that I would gladly have recalled the promise almost as soon as
it was made. From the very start, when I found myself crawling along
the top of the wall against which the outhouses were built, I heartily
wished myself safely back in the dormitory. St