on their own subjects that Raffles laughed with
the lot in turn and in the lump. I never knew him in quite such form.
I will not say he was a boy among them, but he was that rarer being,
the man of the world who can enter absolutely into the fun and fervor
of the salad age. My cares and my regrets had never been more acute,
but Raffles seemed a man without either in his life.

He was not, however, the hero of the Old Boys' Match, and that was
expected of him by all the school. There was a hush when he went in, a
groan when he came out. I had no reason to suppose he was not trying;
these things happen to the cricketer who plays out of his class; but
when the great Raffles went on to bowl, and was hit all over the
field, I was not so sure. It certainly failed to affect his spirits;
he was more brilliant than ever at our hospitable board; and after
dinner came the meeting at which he and Nasmyth were to speak.

It was a somewhat frigid gathering until Nasmyth rose. We had all
dined with our respective hosts, and then repaired to this business in
cold blood. Many were lukewarm about it in their hearts; there was a
certain amount of mild prejudice, and a greater amount of animal
indifference, to be overcome in the opening speech. It is not for me
to say whether this was successfully accomplished. I only know how the
temperature of that meeting rose with Nipper Nasmyth.

And I dare say, in all the circumstances of the case, his really was a
rather vulgar speech. But it was certainly impassioned, and probably
as purely instinctive as his denunciation of all the causes which
appeal to the gullible many without imposing upon the cantankerous
few. His arguments, it is true, were merely an elaboration of those
with which he had favored some of us already; but they were pointed by
a concise exposition of the several definite principles they
represented, and barbed with a caustic rhetoric quite admirable in
itself. In a word, the manner was worthy of the very foundation it
sought to shake, or we had never swallowed such matter without a
murmur. As it was, there was a demonstration in the wilderness when
the voice ceased crying. But we sat in the deeper silence when Raffles
rose to reply.

I leaned forward not to lose a word. I knew my Raffles so well that I
felt almost capable of reporting his speech before I heard it. Never
was I more mistaken, even in him! So far from a gibe for a gibe and a
taunt for a taunt, there never was