them had lately hooted Oliver.
"Yah, boo! Who stole the exam paper?--there! old Loman." Such were the
cries which presently became familiar in the school, until one day Mr
Rastle dropped down on some twenty of the "howlers," and set them each
twelve propositions of Euclid to learn by heart, and two hours a-piece
in the detention-room, there to meditate over their evil ways.

The quiet of the lower school during the next week was something
delicious.

The tyrannical proceeding on the part of Mr Rastle provoked bitter
indignation, of course, in the breasts of the culprits. Why weren't
they to be allowed to express their feelings? And if Rastle did want to
"pot" them, why should he give them Euclid to learn, when he knew
perfectly well Euclid was the very thing not one of them _could_ learn
by heart? And if he did want to detain them, why _ever_ should he fix
on the identical week in which the grand "Vocal, Instrumental, and
Dramatic Entertainment" of the Fourth Junior was due to come off.

It was an abominable piece of spite, that was a fact; and Mr Rastle was
solemnly condemned one evening in the dormitory to be blown up with
dynamite at the first convenient opportunity. Meanwhile, come what
would, the "Vocal, Instrumental, and Dramatic Entertainment" _should_
come off, if it cost every man Jack of the "entertainers" his head.

Stephen, who by this time was a person of authority in his class, was
appointed president of the "V. I. and D. Society." The manner of his
election to this honourable office had been peculiar, but emphatic. He
had been proposed by Paul and seconded by himself in a short but elegant
speech, in which he asserted he would only serve if his appointment was
unanimous. It _was_ unanimous, for directly after this magnanimous
statement he and Paul and a few others proceeded summarily to eject
Bramble, Padger, and others who showed signs of opposition; and then,
locking the door, proceeded to an immediate vote, which, amid loud
Guinea-pig cheers, was declared to be unanimous, one contumacious
Tadpole, who had escaped notice, having his hands held down by his sides
during the ceremony. As soon as the doors were open, Bramble, who had
meanwhile collected a large muster of adherents, rushed in, and, turning
out all the Guinea-pigs, had himself elected treasurer, and Padger
honorary secretary. These exciting appointments having been made, the
meeting was "thrown open," a programme was drawn up,