person to deserve the proud title, and yet such are the freaks of
fortune, the exaggerated stories of the rescue, differing as they did in
nearly every other particular, agreed in this, that he had performed
prodigies of valour in the engagement, and had, in fact, rescued Wyndham
single-handed.

More than one fellow dropped in during the evening to inquire how he
was, and to confirm his new reputation.

Pilbury and Cusack were among the first.

"Is it true your leg's broken?" cried the latter, as he entered the
study, in tones of unfeigned concern.

"No, of course not," replied the captain, laughing. "What made you
think so?"

"The fellows said so. Pil and I were too far behind to back you up, you
know, or we would have, wouldn't we, Pil?"

"Rather," replied Pil.

"Why," said the captain, catching sight of the bruised and ragged
condition of these young men of war--"why, you've been knocked about a
great deal more than I have."

"Oh," said Cusack, "that was in the run up from Shellport, you know. We
did get it a little hot at first until we pulled together and came up in
a body."

"Never mind," said Pilbury, "it was a jolly fine show-up for Pony. He's
sure to get in; the Radicals were nowhere."

"And what are you going to say to the doctor in the morning?" asked
Riddell.

"Eh? oh, I suppose we shall catch it. Never mind, there'll be lots to
keep us company. And we've given Pony a stunning leg-up."

And so the two heroes, highly delighted with themselves, and still far
too excited to feel ashamed of their mutinous conduct, departed to talk
over the day's doings with the rest of their set, and rejoice in the
glorious "leg-up" they had given to the Whig candidate.

Other fellows looked in, and bit by bit Riddell picked up the whole
history of that eventful afternoon.

It did not appear whether the wholesale breaking of bounds had been a
preconcerted act or a spontaneous and infectious impulse on the part of
the whole school. Whichever it was, directly dinner was over and the
monitors had retired to their houses, a general stampede had been made
for Shellport, and almost before many of the truants knew where they
were they were in the thick of the election crowd.

At first each set vented its loyalty in its own peculiar way. Some
stood in the streets and cheered everything yellow they could discover;
others crowded round the polling places and groaned the Radicals; some
went off to look for the c