of the fun of seeing our plague have something of a somerset, and should not have been sorry if he had rapped his fingers or broken his head. The explosion brought in the Doctor, who had but a few moments before left the school, and the chief conspirator was just then crawling out of his place, having the fatal touchwood still thoughtlessly grasped in the hand. My first feeling was regret that the enterprise had failed, and my second was not devoid of fear lest I should now receive the reward of my temerity. However, this was at a period when the holidays were approaching, and as no mischief had ensued, I was suffered to escape with a severe reprimand and admonition, that if I was found guilty of any more such treasonable practices against our viceroy, I should be expelled as a rebellious subject from the kingdom.

I am not going to detail all my school frolics and mischief, or I should relate many a battle in which I was engaged, so that I gradually became a terror to my comrades, and the object of their aversion rather than their love. I still remembered my early lesson, never to put up with an insult," and having, as I grew up, approached sufficiently near the eldest boys, I was not afraid to encounter any that I even imagined intended to give me offence. I had this gener

ous trait, that I would also readily defend the weak, and if they were imposed upon or insulted by the strong, they resorted to me to avenge their cause. But there was more of policy in this than love; or of love towards themselves than confidence in me. I was, however, glad to show my prowess, and in most conflicts I carried off the triumphant crown. For these deeds of valour I expected the most abject submission, and demanded at all times that they should be my serviteurs. Their spirits sometimes revolted at the services I so rigorously exacted, and as they were unable to defend themselves singlehanded, they occasionally formed an alliance offensive and defensive against me, and I had to sustain some severe conflicts, in which often got roughly handled, to the great amusement of all, especially of my senior comrades.

These exploits were narrated by me to my father, at the periods of vacation, and he heard them with evident satisfaction. He indeed blamed me in a way that I understood-" You shouldn't do so, George."-" George, you're a wicked dog; I suppose some day you'll be ducking a French man of war," was his reply when I related the first adventure with Ordo, and I remember he remarked on the gunpowder affair, "George, you love the smell of gunpowder too

man.

well to be any thing else than a soldier. I should not have cared if Master Ordo had been one of those confounded Parlez-vous, to have been at school myself, and seen the fellow cut capers after he had got a good singing; but, hang it, thee should'sn't attempt to blow up a countryBesides, George-rebellion. I don't quite like that. The rascally Americans!However, my boy, after all, thee hast got a fine spirit. I don't think thee wilt dishonour the name of thy father-too brave for that, George." My father always thou'd and thee'd me, or tutoyed me, as the French say, when he was particularly pleased.

Thus backed by a father's patronage, I returned to school when I had attained my fourteenth year; but I grew so audacious, that the end of my exploits was, that I was expelled.

The circumstance that occasioned this degradation was as follows:-I had one day half filled one of my pockets with peas, and while the usher was engaged with some of the younger pupils, I amused myself by slily clapping a tin tube to my mouth, which was well charged with the annoying shot, and, at repeated intervals, firing away at my mark. Many passed by, and were unnoticed; some struck the desk or the clothes only, and attracted no attention; but se

veral struck the cheek, and made Ordo wink and wince. The sport was delightful to me, and amusing to my comrades, who did not tell of me, now more out of fear lest I should punish them afterwards, than out of affection. To Ordo the sport appeared more serious, and as I sent my shot with a vengeance, and acquired a more correct aim, his sight might have been injured by my mischievous frolic. He therefore watched narrowly to detect his lurking enemy, and properly suspecting me as the ring-leader in all mischief, he leered at me unobserved, and detected me in the act of firing a charge. The Doctor happened to be absent, and Ordo imme→ diately commanded that I should undergo alone the most shameful degradation of flogging. I was now tall and strong of my age, and resisted every attempt to secure me, when Ordo made a rush at me for that purpose. At that moment I seized a hanger, with the use of which I had made my hand familiar, being an appendage to an heroic character I was about to perform in our theatricals prior to the holidays, and lifting up my arm, should certainly have dealt a deadly blow at my adversary, had it not been arrested in time by one of the elder boys, whose strength was greater than my own. As it was, the usher was slightly wounded by the impeded stroke,

and my compeer was cut in the hand in an effort to wrest the instrument of destruction from me. The Doctor, on his return, was resolved that I should no longer be the fear and dread of the school, and I was sent home with the brand of expulsion; but though my pride was mortified, I considered myself as rather injured than offending, and felt a secret satisfaction that I had successfully resisted the disgrace of flogging, determined still "never to bear an insult." Thus ended my school adventures.

"O the perils that environ

The lad that meddles with cold iron!"