, sir. But I've a notion they'll tire of it
before long."

So Anthony was called and made to give his version of the incident,
which he did in such manner as to convulse both master and prefect--and,
to his great delight, the imposition was remitted altogether.

"He's no end of an amusing chap that, sir," said Haviland when the
African boy had gone out. "He has all sorts of yarns about Zululand--
can remember about the war too. He's in my dormitory, you know, sir,
and he yarns away by the hour--"

The speaker broke off short and somewhat confusedly--as a certain
comical twinkle in Mr Sefton's eyes reminded him how guilelessly he was
giving himself away: for talking in the dormitories after a certain
time, and that rather brief, was strictly forbidden. Mr Sefton,
secretly enjoying his confusion, coughed dryly, but made no remark.
After all, _he_ was not Haviland's dormitory master.

"What a big fellow you're getting, Haviland!" he said presently. "I
suppose you'll be leaving us soon?"

"I hope not, sir, at least not for another couple of terms. Then I
expect I'll have to."

"You're not eager to, then?" eyeing him curiously.

"Not in the least."

"H'm! What are they going to make of you when you do leave?"

The young fellow's face clouded.

"Goodness only knows, sir. I suppose I'll have to go out and split
rails in the bush, or something about as inviting, or as paying."

"Well, I don't know that you'll be doing such a bad thing in that,
Haviland," rejoined Mr Sefton, "if by `splitting rails' you mean
launching out into some form of colonial life. But whatever it is
you've got to throw yourself into it heart and soul, but I should think
you'd do that from what I've seen of you here. At any rate, life and
its chances are all in front of you instead of half behind you, and
you've got to determine not to make a mess of it, as so many fellows do.
Well, I didn't come in here to preach you a sermon, so get along with
your lines and start clear again." And the kind-hearted disciplinarian
swung himself off the desk and departed, and with him nearly all the
rankling bitterness which had been corroding Haviland's mind. The
latter scribbled away with a will, and at length threw down his pen with
an ejaculation of relief.

Even then he could not go out until the lines had been shown up. The
next best thing was to look out, and so he climbed up to sit in the open
window. The fair English landscape stretche