y small train, which would not be perceived in the green baize
covering; having so done, I left the school-room immediately, and
rejoined my companions. I had a piece of touch-wood, as all the boys
had, to let off their fireworks with, and this I lighted and left in a
corner until the bell should summons us into school.

Oh! how my heart beat when I heard the sound, so full was I of anxiety
lest my project should fail.

Once more we were all assembled. Mr O'Gallagher surveying, with the
smile of a demon, the unhappy and disappointed faces of the boys, was
again perched upon his throne, the rod on one side, the ferrule on the
other, and the ruler, that dreaded truncheon of command, clenched in his
broad fist.

I had the touchwood lighted and concealed in my hand; gradually I moved
downwards, until at last, unperceived by Mr O'Gallagher, I was behind
him, and close to my train of gunpowder. I gave one look to ascertain
if he had observed me; his eye was roving over the school for some
delinquent to throw his ruler at; fearful that he might turn round to
me, I no longer hesitated, and the touchwood was applied to the train.

Ignorant as I was of the force of gunpowder, it was with astonishment,
mingled with horror, that I beheld, in a second, the claret case rise up
as if it had wings, and Mr O'Gallagher thrown up to the ceiling
enveloped in a cloud of smoke, the crackers and squibs fizzing and
banging, while the boys in the school uttered a yell of consternation
and fear as they rushed from from the explosion, and afterwards,
tumbling over one another, made their escape from the school-room.

The windows had all been blown out with a terrible crash, and the whole
school-room was now covered by the smoke. There I stood in silent
dismay at the mischief which I had done. The squibs and crackers had
not, however, all finished popping, before I heard the howling of Mr
O'Gallagher, who had fallen down upon the centre school-room table.

I was still in the school-room, half-suffocated, yet not moving away
from where I stood, when the neighbours, who had been alarmed by the
explosion and the cries of the boys, rushed in, and perceiving only me
and Mr O'Gallagher, who still howled, they caught hold of us both, and
bore us out in their arms. It was high time, for the school-room was
now on fire, and in a few minutes more the flames burst out of the
windows, while volumes of smoke forced through the door and soon
afterwa