side! Thank goodness, too, he is lonely, and finds no one ready to keep
him company in his low ways! He talks about Mansfield," continued the
speaker, waxing unexpectedly warm. "Gentlemen, if you knew Mansfield as
well as I do, you would be as angry as I am to hear the lies this
miserable cad tells. Mansfield, gentlemen, would, I know, risk his life
for the good of Templeton. He may not be popular. He's told me, often
and often, he knows he isn't. But, I say to him, and I think you will
say too, 'Go on, old man,' (cheers). 'You've done more good to
Templeton in a term than other Captains have done in a year; and if the
only thing you had ever done had been to rid us of the cad, Pledge, you
would have done the school a service that any one might be proud of,'
(loud cheers). There, I've used hard words, I know, and almost lost my
temper, but it's best to speak out sometimes. Pledge has heard what
I've said, and I shouldn't say anything different behind his back."

The Hermit sat down amidst a roar of applause, in which the Sixth joined
as heartily as any. The effect of his simple, straightforward speech
was immediately apparent when Mansfield rose to dismiss the assembly.

For a moment he stood there, unable to speak for the cheers which
greeted him. The honest indignation of his friend had touched a
keynote, which suddenly awakened Templeton to the conviction that its
Captain was a hero after all; and the almost pathetic reference to his
unpopularity roused them to an enthusiasm of repentance which was almost
startling.

At length silence reigned, and the Captain said, with the faintest
suspicion of a tremble in his voice--

"I think we've all had enough of this, you fellows. There's the Chapel
bell. This meeting is over."

By a curious sort of instinct, the meeting, instead of immediately
dispersing, remained seated, while Pledge rose, and moved to the door.
He had got half-way there before he noticed his isolation, and a sudden
flush of scarlet in his cheeks betrayed his emotion at the discovery.
It was too late to retreat to his seat, and too late to pretend not to
notice his position. With a pitiful attempt at a swagger, he completed
his passage to the door, and left the Hall.

As he reached the door, a low hiss rose from the middle of the assembly,
but a sudden gesture of appeal from the Captain stifled it before it
could spread, and the door closed behind the retreating figure amid a
silence w