ormed his duty with the utmost fidelity. Though he was made the
victim of various petty tricks, such as smearing the stock of his
musket with grease, cutting the straps of his knapsack, and hiding his
blanket, he bore all these things with politic patience, and treated
his comrades with the most scrupulous fairness. He was the champion of
the weak, and, being the conqueror of Nevers, no one ventured to carry
their opposition to his will beyond a few respectful words. He would
not let a small boy be insulted or bullied; and a frown from him was
generally a sufficient protection. He was foremost in all the sports of
the boys, and every day increased his popularity.

If the Regulators said or did any thing to his injury, they did it very
slyly, for Richard could not discover that there was any one who was
not his friend. On the last day of the encampment, the election of
officers was to take place, and during the week, of course there was a
great deal of electioneering done for various candidates.

On the day before the election, a petition was circulated among the
boys, requesting the principal to reinstate Nevers in the office from
which he had been degraded. There were about fifty names on the paper
when Bailey brought it to Richard. It was not very favorably received
by the boys generally. Nobody could tell when or where the fifty names
had been obtained; no one had seen the signers place their autographs
upon the document. Richard heard Bailey and a dozen others refuse to
sign it, and some of them even proposed to get up a remonstrance.

"I am going to sign the petition," said Richard, to the astonishment of
his companions.

"You, Grant?" exclaimed a dozen boys, in the same breath.

"I am; just to show the fellows that I bear him no ill will," replied
Richard. "Nevers was degraded for that affair with me; and, as I licked
him, I think I can afford to do the handsome thing."

"Then he will be elected captain of Company D," said Bailey.

"I don't know about that," added Richard. "I am willing to see him
restored to the place he was in before I came, but I shall not give him
my vote for captain, or any thing else."

The victim of the Regulators took out his pencil and wrote his name
upon the petition. Though he fully believed that Nevers was the
"Dobbin" of the party that had assaulted him, he could not prove it and
he was disposed to give him a fair chance, so that neither he nor his
friends should have any good