"You'd just begun when I got back." "Thanks, youngster, it's all right," said Redwood, wonderfully cheerful, as it seemed to me; "here, take care of this for me," and he divested himself of the belt he was wearing and donned the new one.
"You'll have the wind with you now," I ventured to observe.
"Yes," said he with a nod, "I think we shall do the trick this time, eh ?" "Rather," said I; and departed elated, not so much to have been spared the rebuke I expected, but to be talked to by such a hero, as if I was not a junior at all, but a comrade.
My chums when I rejoined them were anxious to prevent my being too much puffed up by my exploit.
"Good old Sarah Toady," cried Trimble, as I approached.

"Is he coming ?" "Who?
Where ?" I inquired.
"I thought you were asking Redwood to tea or something." "No, I wasn't--I only--" "There's Jarman," cried Langrish.

"Run and cadge up to him.

Perhaps he'll pat you on the back too." Despite these taunts I could not fail to notice the depressing effect of the new arrival on the onlookers generally.

Mr Jarman, the gymnasium master, was a ruddy, restless-looking man of about thirty-five, with cold grey eyes, and the air of a man who knew he was unpopular, but was resolved to do his duty nevertheless.