11 THE EARLY DAVS OF 



Although I remember with gratitude, all the kind donations which 

 I received at school, one memorable half-crown proved of very little 

 use to me. A relation came posting through the town one day, 

 and remembering I was there, sent for me, and handed me the coin 

 I have mentioned, at that part of the road opposite to a pastry 

 warehouse much frequented by the school ; and when the carriage 

 rolled away I naturally strolled into the shop, to have a look round, 

 with the satisfaction of possessing power to purchase anything 

 tempting which I saw. 



Unfortunately, I happened to arrive just as the stock of tarts, 

 which had been exposed for sale for many days, was being removed 

 to make room for fresher wares ; and the assistant in charge, who 

 had spied the interview which I had been holding near the carriage, 

 guessing that I was a capitahst, declared that I should make a 

 splendid bargain if I accepted all his damaged stock, in exchange 

 for the coin in my pocket. Contrary to my better judgment, I took 

 the bait, for several boys had come in, and were nudging me, and 

 having concluded the bargain, I gathered up my tarts, and hotly 

 pursued by a swarm of other boys, I hastened to the school, where I 

 shovelled my purchase into the desk which had been allotted for my 

 use. 



The desk had no sort of fastening, and my only hope appeared 

 to be in taking up a position on top of the desk, and defending my 

 property as best I could. 



What chance had a lad of eight, weighing about four stone, of 

 keeping back a legion of other boys all as hungry as himself? They 

 began the attack certainly with fair words, and politely demanded 

 that I should furnish them with a tart apiece, but finding me 

 deaf to their entreaties, they changed their tactics altogether, and 

 declared I was a little sneak for not sharing their socialistic views. 

 Then, what I thought a bright idea, occurred, 1 would bribe the 

 biggest boy to help me, and keep the others back. But when I 

 descended from my perch, and opening the desk, displayed the 

 tempting goods inside, the surging crowd no longer could be 



