think of yourself, I should like to know?"

Ernest never replied, while exercising, to these or any similar remarks,
but he and Sergeant Dibble soon understood each other, and the Sergeant
was convinced that Ernest was a better swordsman than he had supposed.

"But, Mr Bracebridge, it will never do to let Mr Ellis go on in that
way. Now that he has a little more confidence, we must make him run his
chance with the rest," he urged. "A few cuts with a hazel stick won't
do him any harm, and will make him open his eyes a little."

To this, of course, Ernest agreed, and the present day was one of the
first poor Ellis had to look out for himself.

Blackall had meantime watched Ernest; and hearing him found fault with,
and seeing him and Ellis make a mess of it, as he thought, he held his
swordsmanship in very low estimation. This made him confident that he
could do what he liked with him. It required some management to get
placed opposite to him, but he succeeded, and felt highly delighted at
the thoughts of the revenge he was about to enjoy.

"Draw swords, gentlemen;" sung out Sergeant Dibble. "Both parties
advance. Mr Jones's party assault with the second cut; Mr Smith's
defend with the second guard. Now hit hard and sharp, gentlemen. If
the proper guards are up you can do no harm." Blackall was in the
Jones's party, and purposed fully to carry out the order. Bracebridge
saw that he was opposite to him, and assumed a look of perfect
indifference. The bully expected to see him turning pale and looking
alarmed. "March!" sung out the Sergeant. "Double quick!"

On rushed the two squadrons, for so they could not help fancying
themselves, and, as I believe, the Sergeant for the moment fancied them
also. They met with a hostile clash. Blackall, not knowing that the
Sergeant's eye was on him, shifted to the third cut, hoping to give
Ernest a severe blow across the legs, but Ernest's eye was as quick as
his, and catching the movement of the arm, he had the third guard ready
to receive the blow.

The Sergeant made no remark, but kept a watch on Blackall's movements,
"Very well, gentlemen; very well!" he exclaimed. "Now let Mr Smith's
party assault with the fourth cut. Bravo! performed with perfect
precision." And so he went on. Each time, however, that Jones's
division had to assault, he saw that Blackall endeavoured to take some
undue advantage of Ernest, who with equal regularity contrived quietly
to foil