It had been a custom in Dr. Harris's school to admit an aged woman, once a week, to call with cakes, lozenges, and other sweetmeats; and as she was very poor, each lad was allowed, and indeed expected, to lay out a penny with her. This they did very willingly, not merely because she generally had a good assortment of those things which little boys are fond of, but because she was cheerful, civil, and obliging; and frequently took in good part, the tricks they so often played upon her. She used also to bring her grand-daughter Emma with her, for the purpose of taking the money, and carrying her basket, which was a pleasing duty to this little girl, for she dearly loved her grandmother.

This well-intended plan of compelling the boys to spend their money in the school-room, though of benefit to Dame Higgins, (for that was her name,) at length caused a violent irruption, by giving the elder boys an opportunity of imposing upon the younger ones; when, if they had been allowed to have spent their half-pence in the village, they might have evaded the impost which was laid upon them. The old woman used to arrive regularly every Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, which were half-holidays; and Dr. Harris, fearing that if all were admitted at one time, she might be confused, had ordered that they should proceed by rotation, but only six at a time; consequently, the biggest boys always entered first, and then waited at the other door till the rest came out with their cakes, fruit, or sweetmeats. Now, so much power had the elder boys, (particularly Brown, Greene, and Walker,) over the rest, that they regularly exacted from them either a plum, a cake, a pear, or something of what they had purchased.

Soon after Henry and George had arrived at the school, and they were passing through the door which led into the play-ground, with their cakes, they were stopped, amongst the rest, and asked by Walker for a bit of something; and as they saw most of the boys gave one thing or other, and being themselves good-natured, they readily bestowed their portion; and this was repeated for three or four weeks.

About this time little Ned Hooper, a lad much liked by most of the boys for his mirth and good humour, came up to George, with a tear in his eye, and said, "Look here! see what these fellows have left me, out of what I bought: they have taken above half," added he, showing a few lozenges, "and all because I said they ought to be ashamed of themselves for so doing."

"Ashamed, indeed!" cried George, with indignation; "and are those all they have left you?"

"Yes; and they had as many from me last week, but I did not say any thing about it," said Ned.

"Why did you give them any this week, if they had so many from you the week before?" asked Henry.

"Because I am not strong enough to prevent them, or they should not have one from me. But it is so with all us little boys. They take some of our gingerbread or fruit from us every week." And he then walked away crying.

Some of the other boys who stood round, confirmed what little Ned had said, and told George and Henry that they would be obliged to submit to the same, as long as those tyrants were in the school; for they had taken from them ever since they had been there. They then went and fetched little Ned, who had just finished the lozenges they had left him, and then cheerfully joined in the play as though nothing had happened.

Not so our two young friends, who were much hurt to see their little school-fellows imposed upon; and endeavoured to find out some plan by which they might put an end to so shameful a practice. They at first thought of offering them a certain quantity from amongst all the boys; but afterwards determined upon stopping it altogether, by a combination amongst their school-fellows. "For why," said George, in an animated tone, "should one boy be allowed to act unjustly towards another, merely because he is older or stronger? It is 'might overcoming right;' and therefore I think we should be justified in resisting these tyrants, as they are properly called, by every means in our power."

They then joined the rest at play, having resolved to make them acquainted with their determination before the next arrival of Dame Higgins.

This opportunity soon offered; for about four o'clock the same afternoon, Greene, Walker, Brown, and those with whom they generally associated, left the school to take a walk through the town. Henry observed all the boys whom he had seen at the door, when they passed with their cakes, leave the play-ground; and mentioned to his friend George, that it would be a good time to ask their school-fellows whether they would join in their resistance. Henry, therefore, collected them together; and George informed them that he had a plan to submit, how they might preserve their cakes from the tyrants; which occasioned an expression of great joy among the little boys, who thought they saw in their two new school-fellows, worthy and trusty champions.

"What is it?" "How shall we do it?" was asked by many an anxious and eager boy, who had long wished to have some one whom they might look up to as their leader.

"Why, we were thinking," said George, "that it is a shameful thing for so many of us to submit to be robbed by so small a number of boys, merely because they are a little bigger than ourselves; and therefore Henry and I have determined to refuse giving another cake or sweetmeat, provided you will support us."

"We will, we will," they cried. "And they shall soon find out they are not to rob us when they please," cried little Ned. "But how do you intend to do it," he asked, laying hold of George's hand.

"Why to-morrow," said he, "Dame Higgins will be here again; and I have no doubt but that the same demand will be made of us as heretofore; but Henry and myself, with some others, will immediately follow them, and when they make their request, we will refuse to comply, and hold them at bay till the rest arrive, when we will boldly resist, and force our way into the play-ground."

To this plan their school-fellows readily assented, and promised not to say a word about it, for fear they should make the tyrants acquainted with their intention. They then went to their sports, which were not unfrequently interrupted in their progress by the consideration of their forthcoming resistance.

At length the important day arrived, which, as usual, brought Dame Higgins to the school. The morning had passed in rather a confused manner; and a constant buzzing and whispering was heard throughout the little assembly. "I don't mind a thrashing," said little Ned, in a whisper to George, "if I can preserve my cakes, and disappoint those greedy fellows." He had no sooner uttered the words, than the well-known voice of Dame Higgins was heard, and his determination was put to the test; for the elder boys hastened, as usual, to her basket, purchased what they wanted, and took their stations at the next door. Henry, George, and Ned, accompanied by three of the most resolute boys, immediately followed, and, as was agreed upon, refused to give a single sweetmeat; they were therefore stopped in their passage through the room, when they were happily joined by their comrades. They now determined to force their way through, and had just made a grand rush, when, to their surprise and mortification, Dr. Harris appeared before them. They shrunk back with amazement: Greene and his companions through shame, and Henry and his friends from fear.

The Doctor seeing their confusion, called upon Greene, who was the eldest boy, to explain the cause of it; but Greene was silent. "What is the reason of this disturbance?" he again asked. "I insist upon knowing. Some one tell me immediately."

Henry, who was not at all desirous of informing Dr. Harris of the affair, would now willingly have made his retreat, had not little Ned, with some others, stepped forward at the time, which reminded him it was their cause, and not his own, that he was to plead. The master now mentioned his name, and demanded of him the cause of the riot. He therefore plainly stated the case, and told every thing connected with it; and when he had finished, many a little boy took courage to tell his piteous tale, of what he had lost by the tyranny of the elder scholars, and begged their master would prevent it in future.

"As to the cakes," said little Ned, (taking off the hairy cap he used to wear, and looking at Dr. Harris as seriously as his little merry face would allow,) "as to the cakes, I'll be bound to say, there are as many in their boxes as would fill a cake-shop."

The boxes were immediately searched, and although not quite so many were found as little Ned supposed, yet there were sufficient to convince their master of the truth of the statement he had just heard. He therefore gave them a severe punishment, in the presence of the little boys whom they had been so long in the habit of ill-treating; and distributed all the apples, sweetmeats, and other things which he found, including about seven hundred marbles, to the joyous crowd, who were congratulating each other upon their victory.