ledged on all sides, was admirably adapted to impress itself most deeply on the minds of the gentlemen-cadets. The frequent allusions to the "character of the institution," so dear to every probationary bosom, and that skilful stroke referring to the cherished tiger-boy uniform, were masterpieces of oratorical ingenuity, worthy of Demosthenes or Lord Stafford. It is no drawback to the merits of this harangue that it had not the slightest effect in promoting any thing but ridicule, because it plainly ought to have had, and the faults of its non-effect was in the hardness of the cadets' hearts, and not any want of impressiveness in the governor's eloquence.

"I suppose, he alluded to us," said Peregrine Pultuney to Julian Jenks, as they went into study, with no particular emotions of shame visible on their unaltered faces.

"I think it possible that he did," returned Julian Jenks.

"Fancy calling us officers in uniform !" said Peregrine Pultuney, "that beats cock fightinggentlemen's sons doing a bit of foot-boy in secondhand livery, at half-a-crown a week, would be much more appropriate, I think."

Jenks laughed and agreed with Peregrine; and then both talked and both laughed to such an extent, that they drew upon themselves the severe animadversions of the professor with the silver snuff

box.

Two or three days after this, Peregrine Pultuney got his new uniform from London, with a laudatory letter from his father. On the same day, he was summoned to wait upon the lieutenant-governor of

the institution.

"I understand, Mr. Pultuney," said the lieutenant-governor," that you have evinced your disapprobation of the rules which regulate this institution that you are discontented with the liberality of the honourable company-in short that you are disinclined to subscribe to the regulations, which it my business to enforce."

is

“I beg your pardon, sir," said Peregrine Pultuney, "but I think you are misinformed. I am perfectly satisfied with the honourable company of merchants trading to the East Indies, and with all the regulations they have framed to keep up the character of this institution."

"I am afraid, Mr. Pultuney," resumed the lieutenant-governor, "that you are inclined to be impertinent as well as insubordinate. But take care, take care, I advise you to be on your guard."

"I don't know what I have done, sir," replied Peregrine Pultuney, looking as innocent as George Barnwell before he met with the town lady; or the industrious apprentice, in Hogarth's picture, when he married his master's daughter.

66

Done, Mr. Pultuney!" said the lieutenantgovernor," have you not rejected the company's

uniform, and supplied yourself from another quarter. I see it now, sir, at this moment-private regimental habiliments !"

"Please, sir," said Peregrine Pultuney, looking as demure as Little Red-riding-hood talking to the wolf; "I never wore second-hand clothes before, and my father has a particular objection to it."

"You should have thought of that before you came here," returned the lieutenant-governor.

Please, sir, there was nothing about it, down in the book of rules they gave me at the India House," said Peregrine Pultuney.

"Perhaps not, but when you found it was a rule, you should have subscribed to it, Mr. Pultuney." "But please, sir, I could not wear second-hand trousers. I was afraid," said Peregrine Pultu

ney.

"You were not afraid to knock down a young man much older than yourself, the other day," returned the lieutenant-governor, thinking that he had uttered a poser.

"He insulted me," said Peregrine Pultuney.

"I am afraid that you are easily insulted," replied the lieutenant-governor; "but let me caution you to take things more as you find them, and do as others do upon all occasions.”

"If you please, sir," said Peregrine Pultuney, "these clothes were made by the company's tailor, according to the established pattern."

"Then you may wear them, sir; but the offence

is equally bad as an act of insubordination. Take care, Mr. Pultuney."

"Of my clothes, sir?" asked Peregrine, looking as simple as one of the babies in the murder of the Innocents.'

"No, sir, of your conduct. You may go now, but remember that I am determined, Mr. Pultuney, to uphold the character of the institution."

Peregrine walked away, thinking that the character of an institution which compelled its members to wear second-hand clothes, was not very much worth upholding.

But Peregrine Pultuney, some how or other, was fated to get into one scrape as soon as he got out of another. It is an extraordinary thing at Addiscombe, that a gentleman-cadet can do nothing whatever, unknown to the authorities of the place. The Holy Inquisition, is a fool to the Addiscombe government in this respect. A cadet may be very cunning and very cautious, but nevertheless he can neither do, say, or think any thing unknown to the lieutenant-governor. Conjecture is at a loss to account for this singular phenomenon. Surely the spy-system is not carried on; surely the non-commissioned officers attached to the establishment are not authorized to put espionage in practice; surely those honourable men do not listen at doors, peep into letters, and lay wait in dark corners; surely drawers are not opened, or boxes searched, or tradespeople examined—and yet Peregrine Pultuney was

found guilty of cheroot-smoking, upon no accountable evidence in the world. And it is a very remarkable coincidence, but nevertheless it is undeniably true, that one of these four sergeants, happened one dark night at the latter end of February, to fix upon his own particular, the very identical room in the very identical public-house, that Peregrine Pultuney and Julian Jenks had chosen, a few minutes before, as the locale of a punch-drinking bout.

Boys are notoriously very stupid animals, and we suppose that Peregrine Pultuney must be classed in the category, for he was heard to say one dark night to Julian Jenks, "Surely we are driven into mischief; they coop us up all day, and let us loose for two hours of recreation, when it is pitch dark. It may be well enough in the summer-time, when we can play a good game at cricket, but what can youngsters like us do between five and seven in a winter evening, except get into mischief. We have. had enough of reading in the daytime; and who ever sets out for a walk in the dark without some definite object. What wonder is it then, that we should stroll into a public-house, and enjoy a comfortable bowl of punch, a good fire, and what is perhaps still better, an hour or two of privacy, which we cannot get within the walls of the institution, packed together as we are like so many dogs in a kennel? And if we do still worse, it is not a matter of much surprise, for we are sent to wander about