bell? Hurry up, lad, or you'll be late again. Aha! I'll tell the
dominie that you're sitting there fishing when you should be at the
school. Come away now, or ye'll get your licks."

Without seeming to hear his warning, I drew in my line with a good
young coal fish at the end of it, and quietly counted my catch.
There were just three-and-twenty fish, and I could not resist the
temptation of making up the even two dozen; so I baited my hook
again and cast it into the water, meditating as I did so upon
Kinlay's unnecessary interference.

Now Tom Kinlay, I must tell you, was some twelve months older than
I, and, as I had reason to remember, much taller and stronger. In
our early school days he had exercised a tyranny over me which I
even now recall with feelings partly of indignation against him,
and partly of shame in myself for having so foolishly bent under
the yoke of his oppression. When we went bathing, as we frequently
did, out on the further shores of the bay, he would not scruple to
lead us younger lads into the deepest waters, and, when we were far
beyond our depth and almost exhausted, he would swim behind us and
force us under, for the mere cruel pleasure, I believe, of seeing
our struggles and hearing our cries below the surface. From some
fancied sense of duty we allowed ourselves meekly to serve and obey
him. When we went on a cliff-climbing expedition he would choose to
remain in safety up above on the banks holding the rope, while it
was we who were sent down the dangerous precipice to harry the
sea-birds' nests.

I had not yet forgiven Tom for what he had done a few days earlier
than this spring morning. It happened this way: