. Will you have a
hoop? I have got a prime one which beats all those of the fellows in my
class; or will you go shares in a pair of leather reins?" I told him
that I should be very glad to do what he liked, and that I had plenty of
money, though I could not say how much, as I was not accustomed to
English coin, and could not remember what it was called. "Oh, I will
soon put you up to that," he said, laughing; "but do not show it now.
We will see by-and-by what you can do with it."

While we were speaking, a number of other boys collected round us, and
began to ask me all sorts of questions--who I was, who my friends were,
where I had come from, how old I was, and if I had ever been to another
school.

"Do not tell them," whispered Nyass.

"What is that you are saying, Master Tony!" exclaimed one of the boys.
"You are putting him up to some of your own tricks."

"I will tell you all by-and-by," I answered, taking my new friend's
hint.

"Can you run?" asked Tony. "Tell them that you will race any one of
them," he whispered.

"I do not know, but I will try," I replied.

"Who is for a race?" exclaimed Tony. "He will run you down to the
bottom of the play-ground and back again, and if he does not beat all
the fellows of his own size I shall be surprised."

I was light and active, and though I had never before run a race, having
no companions to run with, I did my best to follow out Tony's
suggestion. At the word, off I set as hard as I could tear; five or six
other fellows besides Tony ran also. He kept up with me, though we
distanced the rest. He touched the wall at the bottom, and I followed
his example.

"Now, back again as hard as you can go! I am the best runner of my size
in the school," he cried out, as he kept close to me; "if you beat me,
your fame is established, and the fellows will treat you with respect
after that."

I felt, however, very doubtful whether I could beat Tony; but I did my
best, and as we neared the point we started from I found myself drawing
ahead of him. "That is it!" he shouted; "keep on, and you will do it."
I suspected that he was letting me get ahead of him on purpose, and I
reached the starting-point four or five paces before him. I felt,
however, that I could not have run another minute if my life had
depended on it; while he came in without the slightest panting. The
other fellows followed mostly together, a short distance behind.

It is curious how slight a th