delighted in getting on; who was really keen about mastering a
difficult subject. His vivacity and freshness, his energy and vigour,
helped him to take pleasure in work which to another boy, less
physically blessed, would have been an irksome toil; but though his
body may have projected him some distance upon his way, it was his
soul that really carried him triumphantly through. The spirit of
Baden-Powell in those days was what it is now--supremely intent upon
beating down obstacles in his path, and resolute to do well whatever
the moment's duty might be. So the boy who was setting a football
field on the roar at one moment, at the next would be sitting with
fixed eyes and knit brows, "hashing" at Latin verses, as serious as a
leader-writer hurling his bolts at the European Powers.

The master who best remembers B.-P. is Mr. Girdlestone, in whose house
our hero spent four years of his school-days. Looking back over the
past Mr. Girdlestone finds that what impressed him most in B.-P.
during his school-days was the boy's manner with his elders. He was
reserved, very reserved, and he never had any one close chum at
school; but apparently he was quite free of shyness, as he would
approach his masters without any trace of that timidity which too
often marks the commerce of boy with master. On an afternoon's walk,
for instance, B.-P. would not be found among the boys, but side by
side deep in conversation with his master. And these conversations, I
find, convinced his gubernators that he was very much above the
average cut of boy in intelligence; not (Heaven forbid!) that he made
parade of his little knowledge, but rather that he was eager to get
information in really useful subjects from his superiors, and not
above boldly declaring his eagerness. In those days Dr. Haig-Brown had
a great reputation for sternness, and it is said that even the masters
would sometimes quail when they entered his presence; but B.-P. was