er, and I am afraid you will be
getting bad habits. Don't you think it would be a good thing for you to
begin school?"

"What, the boys' school that mother told me about? Oh, I was hoping you
were going to say something about that! Shall I soon be able to go?"

"Do you want to go?" asked his aunt, astonished.

"Oh, yes! I should think so."

"Then, my dear boy, you shall begin to-morrow, if you like. I have spoken
to Mr. Carey about your coming; so I can send over a note this evening to
let him know."

The remainder of that day Arthur could scarcely think of anything else
than the prospect that was before him on the morrow--his first entering on
school-life. Many were the wonderings and conjectures that went on in his
mind, as to what kind of a person the master would be--whether he would
like the boys, if he would be strict and cross, and if the lessons would
be very difficult. But he was quite decided on one point, that he would
much rather be going to school every day, and have something to do, than
loiter away his time in the house and garden at home.

So the next morning, after Arthur had finished his breakfast, it required
little persuasion from his aunt to make him start for Mr. Carey's school.
The house was about an hour's walk from Myrtle Hill, and it must be
confessed that on his way Arthur's heart began to fail him a little, when
he thought of encountering so many strange faces. Just as he approached
the house the clock struck nine; and as Arthur entered the large iron
gate, he caught sight of some thirty or forty boys rushing across the
play-ground, some tumbling over the others, to be in their seats by the
time the last stroke of the clock sounded. Arthur thought the best thing
he could do would be to follow them; so keeping in sight two or three boys
who had loitered after the others, he walked behind them, up a long
passage; till he reached a door leading into the school-room. He pushed it
open so quietly that he was not heard, and had time to take a good view of
the room and its occupants. It was large and spacious. All down one side
there was a long desk fixed against the wall, where numbers of boys were
sitting, engaged in writing or doing their sums. Then there were several
tables, round which the different classes were seated on forms. The walls
were hung with maps, and there were two large globes in a corner of the
room. All this Arthur took in, in a very short time; and his eyes quickly
travel