ht of my life will be gone out," exclaimed O'Gree, "when I am
no longer able to catch a glimpse of her as she goes past the
schoolroom door. And I've never even had a chance of speaking to her.
You know the tale of Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth. Suppose I were to
rush out and throw my top-coat on the muddy door-step, just as she's
going out; d'ye think she'd say thank you?"

"Probably," muttered Waymark, without knowing what he said. It was Mr.
O'Gree's habit to affect this violent devotion to each new governess in
turn, but Waymark did not seem to find the joke amusing at present.

"Bedad, I'll do it then! Or, rather, I would, if I'd two top-coats.
Hang it! There's no behaving like a gentleman on twenty-five pounds a
year."

Waymark walked about the streets the greater part of the night, and the
next morning came to school rather late. Dr. Tootle had to consult with
him about some matter as soon as he arrived.

"You seem indisposed, Mr. Waymark," the doctor remarked, when he had in
vain tried to elicit intelligible replies to his questions.

"I am a little out of sorts," the other returned carelessly. "Perhaps
we could talk about these things to-morrow."

"As you please," said Dr. Tootle, a little surprised at his assistant's
indifference.

It was a drawing-lesson morning. As he went upstairs, his ears apprised
him of the state of things he would find in Miss Enderby's room. The
approach of the Easter holidays was making the youngsters even more
than usually uproarious, and their insubordination had passed beyond
all pretence of attending to tasks. When Waymark entered, his first
glance, as always, was towards the governess. She looked harassed and
ill; was in vain endeavouring to exert some authority with her gentle
voice. Her eyes showed unmistakable gratitude as the teacher appeared,
for his approach meant that she would be relieved from the three elder
children. Waymark called sharply to his pupils to come and take their
places, but without any attention on their part. Master Felix openly
urged the rest to assume a defiant attitude, and began to improvise
melodies on a trumpet formed by rolling up a copy-book.

"Felix," said Miss Enderby, "give me your copy-book and go to the
drawing-lesson."

The boy removed the trumpet from his mouth, and, waving it once round
his head, sent it flying across the room at the speaker; it hit her on
the cheek. In the same minute, Waymark had bent across his knee a large
poi