s all over at last; and then followed that wonderful event, the
speech-day dinner, when boys and visitors all sat down promiscuously to
the festive board and celebrated the glories of the day with a still
more glorious spread.

Arthur and Dig were in high feather. They had, I am sorry to say,
"shunted" their progenitors up to the doctor's table, and, in the
congenial society of some of their own "lot," were jammed in at one of
the side tables, with just elbow-room enough to do execution. Arthur
was comfortably packed between Sherriffs sister and Maple's second
cousin, and cheered by game pie and mellowed by ginger ale, made himself
vastly agreeable.

"See that chap with the sandy wig!" said he to Miss Sherriff, "he's a
baronet--Sir Digby Oakshott, Baronet, A.S.S., P.I.G., and nobody knows
what else--he's my chum; aren't you, Dig? Sherriff's sister, you know,
make yourself civil, can't you? Dig can make you laugh sometimes,"
added he, aside, to his fair neighbour.

Then his genial eye roamed up and down the room and lit up suddenly as
he perceived, with their backs to him, Railsford and Daisy dining
happily at the next table.

He gave a whistle to Dig, and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.
Dig, who was in the middle of a pull at the ginger ale, put down his
tankard suddenly and crammed his handkerchief into his mouth.

"Such a game!" said Arthur to Maple's second cousin on his right. "Look
round, behind you. Do you see them?"

"See whom?" asked the young lady.

"Those two. Regular pair of spoons; look at him helping her to
raspberry pie. Oh, my word!"

"Who are they?" asked his neighbour, laughing.

But Arthur was at that moment busy attracting the attention of all his
friends within call, and indicating to them in pantomimic gesture what
was going on.

"Oh," said he, hearing the question at last, "that's Marky, our house-
master, you know; and he's spoons on my sister Daisy--just see how
they're going it. Do you want to be introduced to my sister? I say,
I'll--"

"Oh, no indeed, not yet," said the young lady in alarm, "presently,
please."

"All right. Dig, I say, pass the word down to those fellows to fill up
their mugs, do you hear? And fill up Sherriffs sister's mug too, and
all those girls' down there. Look out now, and keep your eye on me."

Whereupon he rose and made a little speech, partially audible to those
immediately round him, but supremely inaudible to the two parties
s