considerable suspicion for his propensity to
practical jokes.

"Scud knows nothing and cares for nothing but grub and mischief," said
Tom; "but young rook pie, specially when you've had to climb for them,
is very pretty eating.--However, I say, Scud, we're all going after a
hawk's nest to-morrow, in Caldecott's Spinney; and if you'll come and
behave yourself, we'll have a stunning climb."

"And a bathe in Aganippe. Hooray! I'm your man."

"No, no; no bathing in Aganippe; that's where our betters go."

"Well, well, never mind. I'm for the hawk's nest, and anything that
turns up."

And the bottled-beer being finished, and his hunger appeased, East
departed to his study, "that sneak Jones," as he informed them, who had
just got into the sixth, and occupied the next study, having instituted
a nightly visitation upon East and his chum, to their no small
discomfort.

When he was gone Martin rose to follow, but Tom stopped him. "No one
goes near New Row," said he, "so you may just as well stop here and do
your verses, and then we'll have some more talk. We'll be no end quiet.
Besides, no prepostor comes here now. We haven't been visited once this
half."

So the table was cleared, the cloth restored, and the three fell to work
with Gradus and dictionary upon the morning's vulgus.

They were three very fair examples of the way in which such tasks were
done at Rugby, in the consulship of Plancus. And doubtless the method
is little changed, for there is nothing new under the sun, especially at
schools.

Now be it known unto all you boys who are at schools which do not
rejoice in the time-honoured institution of the vulgus (commonly
supposed to have been established by William of Wykeham at Winchester,
and imported to Rugby by Arnold more for the sake of the lines which
were learnt by heart with it than for its own intrinsic value, as I've
always understood), that it is a short exercise in Greek or Latin verse,
on a given subject, the minimum number of lines being fixed for each
form.

The master of the form gave out at fourth lesson on the previous day the
subject for next morning's vulgus, and at first lesson each boy had to
bring his vulgus ready to be looked over; and with the vulgus, a
certain number of lines from one of the Latin or Greek poets then being
construed in the form had to be got by heart. The master at first lesson
called up each boy in the form in order, and put him on in the lines.
If he couldn't s