PRISONERS’ BASE. 95

cried another. “And three gross blunders
in his ciphering,” added a third. ‘Mr.
Powell said they would have been dis-
graceful to his brother Walter,” said a
fourth. “Talk of his getting two prizes,
indeed,” said Sharpe; ‘I shall be very
much surprised if he gets one.” War-
beck, alone, remained faithful to his friend.
He maintained that Harry was probably
unwell; and that> the exertions he had
undergone on the previous afternoon were
the cause of his depression ; besides which,
everybody was liable to do‘worse at some
times than at others; and as for the
prizes, it was absurd to suppose that the

marks of two days could change the marks
of a whole half-year.

The prizes at Charlton School, it should
be remarked, were given to the boys who
had been most diligent during the whole