us, Charlie, and Frank for the
other three disputants. There was some curiosity on the part of
spectators to see how the boys would get along, and they were all eager
to have Nat begin. All looked very pleasant, however, and well they
might, for who could view this young parliament scene without a smiling
face. Still, it was possible to trace an anxious feeling upon the
countenances of the debaters, unless we except Nat.

All other preliminary business being disposed of, Nat commenced,
proceeded, and ended, in a speech of twenty minutes, that was not
inferior to any of his previous performances. His speech had a
beginning, middle, and end, and he stopped when he got through, which is
not always the case even with some noted public speakers. The others
followed, speaking about as well as usual, and gaining much applause to
themselves. It was the general opinion, at the close of the evening,
that there had not been a more interesting and profitable discussion in
all their previous meetings.

"Nat, you was made for a debater," said Frank to him, at the close of
the evening.

"That is a fact," added Charlie, who heard the remark. "You have
superior abilities to examine and discuss a subject, and you command
language as if you had studied the dictionary all your life. I suspect
that pocket of yours holds the secret."

"No wonder that he takes such a stand," said Marcus, "he is always
digging away for knowledge. I doubt if he has wasted a moment for five
years. I am fully of the opinion, however, that uncommon abilities is
the real cause of his success."

These tremendous compliments were flung directly into Nat's face, and he
found it more difficult to reply than he did to speak on the unstudied
question. At length he answered,

"You do not know me, boys. You overrate me. If I have any success in
speaking, it is not because I have any greater abilities than you have.
I have a taste for such discussions; I love to speak on the questions;
and I desire to do it just as well as I can, and to improve upon it
every week, and that is half the battle. I enter into it with all my
soul, and don't stop to say I can't: that is all the difference."

"Pshaw, Nat! You will never make me believe that," said Charlie. "You
don't believe it yourself. You are making the way to learning and
eloquence as easy as Dr. Franklin's way to wealth, and I know what you
think of that," and the roguish look that he cast upon him seemed to
say, "I