In School and Out or, The Conquest of Richard Grant.   By: Oliver Optic (1822-1897)

IN SCHOOL AND OUT;

OR,

THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT.

A Story for Young People.

BY

OLIVER OPTIC,

AUTHOR OF "THE BOAT CLUB," "ALL ABOARD," "NOW OR NEVER," "TRY AGAIN," "POOR AND PROUD," "LITTLE BY LITTLE," "RICH AND HUMBLE," "THE RIVERDALE STORY BOOKS," ETC.

BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM. 1873.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by WILLIAM T. ADAMS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

STEREOTYPED AT THE BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, 19 Spring Lane.

TO

EDWARD JENKINS HOWE

This Book

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

BY HIS UNCLE.

THE WOODVILLE STORIES.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

A LIBRARY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS.

BY OLIVER OPTIC.

1. RICH AND HUMBLE. 2. IN SCHOOL AND OUT. 3. WATCH AND WAIT. 4. WORK AND WIN. 5. HOPE AND HAVE. 6. HASTE AND WASTE.

PREFACE.

The second volume of the Woodville Stories contains the experience of Richard Grant, "in school and out." We are sorry to say that Richard had become a bad boy, and was in the habit of getting into the most abominable scrapes, some of which are detailed in the first chapters of this book. But he is not what is sometimes called a vicious boy, for he has many good qualities, which redeem him from absolute condemnation. There is something noble in his character, which is the germ of his ultimate salvation from the sins which so easily beset him.

Richard, like thousands of others, finds his strongest and most dangerous foe within his own heart; and the conquest he achieves is not a triumph of mind over matter, of force over force, but of principle over passion, of the good angels in the heart over the invading legion of evil ones.

Richard's experience is full of stirring incidents; and while the author hopes therein to realize the expectations of his partial young friends, he begs them to remember that these exciting events are only the canvas upon which he has endeavored to paint the great change wrought in the character of the hero. There is a moral in the story, and though the author has not attempted to "point" it, he hopes his young readers will feel it, even if they do not see it.

Again it affords me pleasure to acknowledge my indebtedness to my young friends for the kind reception given to my books. I trust that this, the twentieth volume of my "Stories for Young People," will not disappoint their hopes, or fail to improve their minds and hearts.

WILLIAM T. ADAMS.

DORCHESTER, Oct. 26, 1863.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAP. I. Richard Grant and Friend get into an awful Scrape. 11

CHAP. II. Richard jumps out of the Frying pan into the Fire. 23

CHAP. III. Richard finds that no Chastening seemeth joyous. 35

CHAP. IV. Richard makes a tremendous Sensation at Woodville. 47

CHAP. V. Richard is determined to be revenged. 59

CHAP. VI. Richard gives another Illustration of Sleep walking. 71

CHAP. VII. Richard kindles a Fire. 83

CHAP. VIII. Richard beholds how great a Matter a little Fire kindleth. 96

CHAP. IX. Richard goes to the Tunbrook Military Institute. 110

CHAP. X. Richard learns the meaning of Right About Face. 123

CHAP. XI. Richard goes through the Drill, and has a set to in the Grove. 136

CHAP. XII. Richard does a "Big Thing" and takes the Consequences. 151

CHAP. XIII. Richard listens to a Homily on Fighting, and spends the Night in the Guard House. 166

CHAP. XIV. Richard does Guard Duty, and is captured by an Enemy. 180

CHAP. XV. Richard finds himself in the Hands of the Regulators. 194

CHAP. XVI. Richard becomes First Sergeant of Company D. 208