"`The whole of the money is not yet exhausted; but I regret to say I am
unable to retain Master George under my tuition any longer. I must beg
you to take notice that his name is _George_, as his companions are in
the habit of calling him "Nick," giving the idea that his name, or one
of his names, is Nicodemus. Such, however, is not the case, George
being his only Christian appellative. Why his schoolfellows should have
adopted so singular a nomenclature I am unable to say. The only
explanation of it, which has ever been suggested to me, is one so
extremely objectionable, that I am convinced it must be a mistake.

"`But to proceed'--(`A long-winded fellow this!' muttered the captain as
he turned the page; `who cares what the young scamp's called?')--`But to
proceed. I cannot retain Master George any longer. His continually
repeated acts of mischief render it impossible for me any longer to
temper the justice due to myself and family with the mercy which it is
my ordinary habit to exercise. I will not detail to you his offences
against propriety'--(`thank goodness for that,' again interjected
Captain Wilmore, `though I dare say some of his offences would be
entertaining enough')--`I will not detail his offences--they would fill
a volume. I will only mention what has occurred to-day. If there is
any practice I consider more objectionable than another, it is that of
using the dangerous explosives known as fireworks. Master Gilbert is
aware that I strictly interdict their purchase; in consequence of which
they cannot be obtained at the only shop in Hollingsley where they are
sold, by any of my scholars. But what were my feelings--I ask you,
sir--when I ascertained that he had obtained a large number of
combustibles weeks ago, and had concealed them--actually concealed them
in a chest under Mrs Staines's bed! The chest holds a quantity of
linen, and under this he had hidden the explosives, thinking, I
conclude, that it was seldom looked into. Seldom looked into! Why,
merciful heaven, Mrs Staines is often in the habit of examining even by
candlelight'--(`I say, I can't read any more of this,' exclaimed the
captain; `anyhow, I'll skip a page or two.' He turned on a long way and
resumed.)--`When I found out this morning that he was missing, I felt no
doubt that my words had produced even a deeper effect than I had
designed. Mrs Staines and myself both feared that in his remorse he
had been guilty of some despe