red, but both were so nervous that their shots went very
wide. Then Otto at once interfered, stating that the honor of each was
now fully satisfied, and refusing to let them continue. Here he showed
that masterfulness of character which had already made him a leader,
and which now at once compelled the duelists to submit.

Such a meeting as this was, however, contrary to the laws of the
University, and all the boys who took part in it were at once severely
punished. The other students told how Otto had ended the fight and
begged that he be let off, but the rector would not listen to their
requests, and Bismarck was ordered to undergo eleven days of solitary
confinement. When he was released he was welcomed back by all the
student corps, and became more of a hero than ever.

But Otto von Bismarck's college life was not all fighting. Although he
was not much of a student, he was keenly interested in everything about
him, and fond of arguing on all sorts of subjects. History was his
favorite study; he devoured stories of great kings and statesmen and
soldiers, his keen mind always intent on discovering the reason for the
success or failure of each.

There was then at Goettingen a young American, by name John Lothrop
Motley, who was as much interested in history as was Otto, and even more
fond of an argument. The two became close friends, and often sat up half
the night to settle some dispute between them. Motley was the more
eager, and often the young German would wake in the morning to find his
American friend sitting on the edge of his bed waiting to go on with
their discussion of the night before. It was Motley also who interested
Otto so much in American history that he took a leading part in
celebrating the Fourth of July at Goettingen.

His college life taught the young Prussian student many valuable things
that are not told in books. He grew up with a fine knowledge of the boys
of his own age, and with a strength and courage which made him admired
by all his friends.

A little later, when he was at home on a vacation, he was riding with
several neighbors around a pond. The banks of the pond were very steep.
Suddenly Otto heard a cry behind him. Turning he saw that a groom's
horse had stumbled and pitched the rider into deep water. The man was
terribly frightened, and it was evident that he either did not know how
to swim or was too excited to try to do so. The other horsemen stood
still, doing nothing but call