the Victoria Cross the week before for conspicuous gallantry.

"We engaged for this sort o' work, lads, when we 'listed," remarked Bob,
"an' are paid for it; so let's stick to our bargain wi' the Queen, an'
do our duty well."

"Troth, that's well said," remarked the Irishman. "`What's worth doin'
at all is worth doin' well,' as my ould grandmother used to say when she
whacked me."

There was a faint laugh at this, and the grumbling ceased.

"Come, Corporal Free," said Bob, "as we've got to sit here till morning
you'd better tell us one of your far-famed stories to make the time pass
pleasantly--at least as pleasantly as circumstances will allow."

"Ay, Jacob Free," cried the Irishman, "that's well said. Give us that
one about yoursilf whin ye was a schoolboy. A good story, you know, is
niver a bit the worse o' bein' twice towld."

"Hear! hear!" cried Bob, "come along now, Corporal, an' give us the
schoolboy's story."

Corporal Jacob Free, who was a gentlemanly man, somewhat advanced in
years, said he would rather tell about some one else than himself, but
this only made his comrades more determined.

"Well, then," said he, at last, "since you will have it, I'll give you
what Bob Thorogood has named:--THE SCHOOLBOY'S STORY.

"It was with an intense hatred of lessons and books that I began my
school-days. Not an unusual experience, I believe, with boys. My
parents were poor--though I have every reason to conclude that they were
scrupulously honest; hence I began my school career rather late in
life--at about twelve years of age. But previously to that, my
much-loved, much-abused, and long-suffering mother had taught me to read
and write, so that my brain was not altogether unfurnished when I went
to school.

"It was a village school, in a remote district of Scotland; the master
was a tall, thin, cadaverous and kindly man, of considerable
attainments, and with a strong affection for boys. Had it been
otherwise he must have died younger--of a broken heart. I loved that
man--but I worried him. A pang of toothache-like remorse shoots through
me still when I think of the sorrows I caused that good man, but the
pang is mitigated by the reflection that I lived to make amends to him.

"I liked the school-days well enough at first; chiefly because I devoted
myself entirely to play and refused work. Besides, there was something
amusing in the novelty of the thing, and there was much interest in the
mischief