14 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



boating, and spent a good deal of his time on the 

 river. He was a most enthusiastic gymnast, and 

 became the most proficient member of the university, 

 as far as the bars, and ropes, and trapezes, and 

 vaulting-horses were concerned. He was fond, too, 

 of fencing and single-stick, and became no mean 

 proficient in the art of self-defence. Swimming, of 

 course, was kept up, as of old; and in the winter, 

 when the fields were flooded and the frost came, he 

 was on the ice at every available moment, practising 

 diligently at all the manifold varieties of figure- 

 skating, until he became an acknowledged expert in 

 every branch of the art. 



He had many stories to tell of his college life ; 

 a very strange one in particular, involving the dis- 

 appearance of a poker, which, I believe, rests to this 

 very day deep down in the ground in the centre 

 of Merton " Quad." The adventure in question was 

 as follows : 



He was engaged in putting together the mechanism 

 of a small model steam-engine, and, finding himself 

 in difficulties, went off to ask counsel of a friend. 

 The friend gave the requested advice, and came out 

 of his door to wish his visitor farewell. No sooner 

 had the two crossed the threshold, however, than 

 the " oak " closed with a bang, and shut the occu- 

 pant out of his rooms. Having left his latch-key 

 inside, there was nothing for it but to pick the 

 lock ; and this, after twenty minutes' hard labour, the 

 two contrived to do. Upon entering the room, to 



