me mischief, in the way of retaliation.

I put little pancakes of cobblers' wax on Mr O'Gallagher's throne, and
he had the pleasure of finding himself stuck fast by the breeches when
he rose up to punish. I anointed the handle of the ferrule and rod with
bird-lime; put dead cats under the claret cases, which composed his seat
of authority, so that the smell would drive him distracted before he
found it out. I drew up with a squirt, all the ink which was in the
inkstands fixed in the writing-desks, so as not to be taken out of the
sockets, and made good the deficiency with water, which put him to no
little expense.

I once made him almost frantic, by rubbing his handkerchief which always
laid by his side, and with which he was accustomed to wipe his face
every five minutes (for he was profuse in his perspiration), with what
is called cow-itch: not being aware of what was the cause, he wiped his
face more and more, until he was as red as a peony, and the itching
became intolerable.

On such occasions he never inquired who was the party, but called me and
Phil Mooney. I, on the other hand, never said a word in way of
expostulation. I took my flogging, which was as severe as he could give
it, as a matter of course, quite satisfied with the exchange.

As Walter Puddock had told me, and, as I have no doubt, the Eton boys
will confirm, after a certain quantity of flagellations, the skin
becomes so hard as to make the punishment almost a matter of
indifference and so I found it. So passed the time until the month of
November, when I was fully enabled to pay off my worthy pedagogue for
all that I was indebted to him.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

The boys had been saving up all their money to purchase fireworks for
the celebrated 5th of November--a day on which it was said that certain
persons, finding it impossible to reform the Lords and Commons, had
determined to get rid of them at once: why they have not been in similar
danger every year since the first attempt was made, I know not; certain
it is, that it is the only reform measure that can ever be effectual.
Guy Fawkes and his confederates, whether Popish or Protestant, from the
disregard of human life, certainly proved themselves the founders of a
party, still existing, whose motto is, "Measures and not Men."

But to proceed: Mr O'Gallagher had never before attempted to interfere
with the vested rights of urchins on that day; being, however, in a most
particular irasci