nced me that Low
Heath was proud of its chief, even though he had the misfortune to be a
day boy.

Just then Redwood turned and waved his hand to somebody near us.

"Look out; he wants you," said Langrish.

"Me?" said I, flabbergasted.

"Don't you see him beckoning? Look alive, or you'll catch it."

I could hardly believe it; and yet everybody near looked round at me in
apparent wonder at my delay.

Perhaps Redwood had heard something about me from Tempest and wanted
to--

"Go on," said Trimble, giving me a shove. "If he wants to stick you in
the Fifteen, tell him it's not good enough."

"Look sharp," called the others, encouragingly, as I started to obey the
summons.

By this time Redwood was strolling our way. Mahomet, thought I, is
coming to the mountain. So, to save him trouble, I trotted up to meet
him.

At first he didn't notice me. Then when I said, "Did you want me?" he
stared me over from head to foot as a Newfoundland dog would inspect a
pug. It was on the whole a benevolent stare, not unmingled with humour;
especially when the cheers of my late comrades called his attention to
my ingenuous blushes.

"I didn't," said he; "but you'll do, if you don't mind. Cut home to my
house. Number 3, Bridge Street, and ask them to send my leather belt.
Look alive, there's a good chap."

This speech, the first really polite speech I had heard since I entered
Low Heath, took me by storm, and captivated me at once to the service of
the captain of the school. I galloped off, as proud as a non-
commissioned officer who has been sent to fetch his regimental flag on
to the field of battle. The chaps behind might cheer and jeer and cry,
"Gee-up, Sarah!" and "Mad dog!" as much as they liked. They would have
been only too proud to be sent on my errand.

It was a good ten minutes' run to Bridge Street, and I was fairly out of
breath when I rang at the bell of Number 3. It seemed a long time
before any one came, and I was beginning to be afraid I should forfeit
the reputation I hoped to acquire, when hurried footsteps announced that
my ring had been heard.

Mrs Redwood was out, said the servant, and she had been down the garden
with the children.

When I delivered my message, she asked me to wait; and with her little
charges evidently on her mind, ran upstairs to fetch the belt.

It was a nice house, although a small one. The garden door was open,
and gave a beautiful peep over the little sloping lawn