ing.

One evening, as they were all sitting down to supper in the fifth-form
room, some one started a report that a fever had broken out at one of
the boarding-houses. "They say," he added, "that Thompson is very ill,
and that Dr. Robertson has been sent for from Northampton."

"Then we shall all be sent home," cried another. "Hurrah! five weeks'
extra holidays, and no fifth-form examination!"

"I hope not," said Tom; "there'll be no Marylebone match then at the end
of the half."

Some thought one thing, some another, many didn't believe the report;
but the next day, Tuesday, Dr. Robertson arrived, and stayed all day,
and had long conferences with the Doctor.

On Wednesday morning, after prayers, the Doctor addressed the whole
school. There were several cases of fever in different houses, he said;
but Dr. Robertson, after the most careful examination, had assured him
that it was not infectious, and that if proper care were taken,
there could be no reason for stopping the school-work at present. The
examinations were just coming on, and it would be very unadvisable to
break up now. However, any boys who chose to do so were at liberty to
write home, and, if their parents wished it, to leave at once. He should
send the whole school home if the fever spread.

The next day Arthur sickened, but there was no other case. Before the
end of the week thirty or forty boys had gone, but the rest stayed on.
There was a general wish to please the Doctor, and a feeling that it was
cowardly to run away.

On the Saturday Thompson died, in the bright afternoon, while the
cricket-match was going on as usual on the big-side ground. The Doctor,
coming from his deathbed, passed along the gravel-walk at the side
of the close, but no one knew what had happened till the next day. At
morning lecture it began to be rumoured, and by afternoon chapel was
known generally; and a feeling of seriousness and awe at the actual
presence of death among them came over the whole school. In all the long
years of his ministry the Doctor perhaps never spoke words which sank
deeper than some of those in that day's sermon.

"When I came yesterday from visiting all but the very death-bed of him
who has been taken from us, and looked around upon all the familiar
objects and scenes within our own ground, where your common amusements
were going on with your common cheerfulness and activity, I felt there
was nothing painful in witnessing that; it did not seem