not resist the offer the Sergeant made him. He thought
that the knowledge might be of the greatest importance to him during his
life, so he at once went with the Sergeant into the fencing-room. "You
see, Mr Bracebridge," observed his instructor, "if you had a real sword
in your hand, you would give your opponent such a cut round the wrist
that he would probably be unable to hold a weapon again for many a month
afterwards."

Ernest set to work at once in his usual way, and Sergeant Dibble taking
great pains to instruct him, he quickly acquired the trick.

"You see, sir," observed the Sergeant, "though a foil does not cut, the
button, if the leather is off, as I often see is the case, will give a
very ugly scratch round the wrist, and if this is repeated two or three
times, a fencer will rather stand clear of the man who can do it. Just
do you try it on Blackall, and you'll see if my word don't come right."

After the Sergeant was gone, Ernest thought over what he had said. He
did not, however, half like the idea of taking the advantage which had
been given him over Blackall.

"No, no!" he exclaimed to himself. "I'll tell him beforehand what I am
going to do. If I was going to engage with him in mortal combat, the
matter would be different; I should feel as if I was going to commit a
murder; but now I feel as if I was going to inflict on him a very
deserved punishment and take down his pride a little." So Ernest set to
work, and practised the trick Sergeant Dibble had taught him. After a
day or two he took Buttar and Ellis into his confidence, and they all
practised it together. Ellis, however, could not manage to accomplish
the turn of the wrist in a way to be effective, but Buttar, who had
resolved to be a soldier, and took a deep interest in all military
exercises, was never weary in practising it. When Sergeant Dibble came
again, he told Ernest that he would be perfect in another week, and
complimented Buttar also on his proficiency.

Ellis, meantime, was making great advances in the use of the broadsword,
and the Sergeant assured him that if he would go on and persevere, he
would very soon be far superior to many idle fellows who now sneered at
him, and would not practise unless the master was present.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

A FISHING EXPEDITION.

"I say, Bracebridge, we must try our new rod before we break up," said
Ellis, one Saturday, just before the boys were going in to dinner.
"It's a capital