unfortunately drowned when about his age.

And it was well for Henry that he possessed so many friends; for in the difficulties he afterwards had to contend with, he stood in great need of them; and as my little readers are now pretty well acquainted with their characters, they shall hear in what those difficulties consisted. But before entering upon the principal circumstances in this little history, it will be necessary to acquaint my young friends with a trifling affair that took place about a month or six weeks after the arrival of Henry and George. By their interference upon this occasion, they put an end to an evil, a species of fagging, which had been practised unknown to the master; while they at the same time roused the bad dispositions of some of the elder boys, as will be seen in the sequel.

CHAP. II.

It had been a custom in Dr. Harris's school to admit an aged woman, once a week, to call with cakes, lozenges, and other sweetmeats; and as she was very poor, each lad was allowed, and indeed expected, to lay out a penny with her. This they did very willingly, not merely because she generally had a good assortment of those things which little boys are fond of, but because she was cheerful, civil, and obliging; and frequently took in good part, the tricks they so often played upon her. She used also to bring her grand-daughter Emma with her, for the purpose of taking the money, and carrying her basket, which was a pleasing duty to this little girl, for she dearly loved her grandmother.

This well-intended plan of compelling the boys to spend their money in the school-room, though of benefit to Dame Higgins, (for that was her name,) at length caused a violent irruption, by giving the elder boys an opportunity of imposing upon the younger ones; when, if they had been allowed to have spent their half-pence in the village, they might have evaded the impost which was laid upon them. The old woman used to arrive regularly every Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, which were half-holidays; and Dr. Harris, fearing that if all were admitted at one time, she might be confused, had ordered that they should proceed by rotation, but only six at a time; consequently, the biggest boys always entered first, and then waited at the other door till the rest came out with their cakes, fruit, or sweetmeats. Now, so much power had the elder boys, (particularly Brown, Greene, and Walker,) over the rest, that they regularly exacted from them either a plum, a cake, a pear, or something of what they had purchased.

Soon after Henry and George had arrived at the school, and they were passing through the door which led into the play-ground, with their cakes, they were stopped, amongst the rest, and asked by Walker for a bit of something; and as they saw most of the boys gave one thing or other, and being themselves good-natured, they readily bestowed their portion; and this was repeated for three or four weeks.

About this time little Ned Hooper, a lad much liked by most of the boys for his mirth and good humour, came up to George, with a tear in his eye, and said, "Look here! see what these fellows have left me, out of what I bought: they have taken above half," added he, showing a few lozenges, "and all because I said they ought to be ashamed of themselves for so doing."

"Ashamed, indeed!" cried George, with indignation; "and are those all they have left you?"

"Yes; and they had as many from me last week, but I did not say any thing about it," said Ned.

"Why did you give them any this week, if they had so many from you the week before?" asked Henry.

"Because I am not strong enough to prevent them, or they should not have one from me. But it is so with all us little boys. They take some of our gingerbread or fruit from us every week." And he then walked away crying.

Some of the other boys who stood round, confirmed what little Ned had said, and told George and Henry that they would be obliged to submit to the same, as long as those tyrants were in the school; for they had taken from them ever since they had been there. They then went and fetched little Ned, who had just finished the lozenges they had left him, and then cheerfully joined in the play as though nothing had happened.

Not so our two young friends, who were much hurt to see their little school-fellows imposed upon; and endeavoured to find out some plan by which they might put an end to so shameful a practice. They at first thought of offering them a certain quantity from amongst all the boys; but afterwards determined upon stopping it altogether, by a combination amongst their school-fellows. "For why," said George, in an animated tone, "should one boy be allowed to act unjustly towards another, merely because he is older or stronger? It is 'might overcoming right;' and therefore I think we should be justified in resisting these tyrants, as they are properly called, by every means in our power."

They then joined the rest at play, having resolved to make them acquainted with their determination before the next arrival of Dame Higgins.

This opportunity soon offered; for about four o'clock the same afternoon, Greene, Walker, Brown, and those with whom they generally associated, left the school to take a walk through the town. Henry observed all the boys whom he had seen at the door, when they passed with their cakes, leave the play-ground; and mentioned to his friend George, that it would be a good time to ask their school-fellows whether they would join in their resistance. Henry, therefore, collected them together; and George informed them that he had a plan to submit, how they might preserve their cakes from the tyrants; which occasioned an expression of great joy among the little boys, who thought they saw in their two new school-fellows, worthy and trusty champions.

"What is it?" "How shall we do it?" was asked by many an anxious and eager boy, who had long wished to have some one whom they might look up to as their leader.

"Why, we were thinking," said George, "that it is a shameful thing for so many of us to submit to be robbed by so small a number of boys, merely because they are a little bigger than ourselves; and therefore Henry and I have determined to refuse giving another cake or sweetmeat, provided you will support us."

"We will, we will," they cried. "And they shall soon find out they are not to rob us when they please," cried little Ned. "But how do you intend to do it," he asked, laying hold of George's hand.

"Why to-morrow," said he, "Dame Higgins will be here again; and I have no doubt but that the same demand will be made of us as heretofore; but Henry and myself, with some others, will immediately follow them, and when they make their request, we will refuse to comply, and hold them at bay till the rest arrive, when we will boldly resist, and force our way into the play-ground."

To this plan their school-fellows readily assented, and promised not to say a word about it, for fear they should make the tyrants acquainted with their intention. They then went to their sports, which were not unfrequently interrupted in their progress by the consideration of their forthcoming resistance.

At length the important day arrived, which, as usual, brought Dame Higgins to the school. The morning had passed in rather a confused manner; and a constant buzzing and whispering was heard throughout the little assembly.