eful ignorance, and so he said that he would see
Rodber in the 'break' to-morrow. He asked Miss Carthew when he got home
what a 'break' was, and she told him it was a large wagonette sometimes
driven by four horses. Michael was very much puzzled, but thought school
would be fun if large wagonettes were commonplace objects of school
life, and dreamed that night of driving furiously with Rodber in a
gigantic mail-cart along the Hammersmith Road.

At breakfast Miss Carthew asked Michael if he would like her to come
with him. He thought for a moment, and wished that Rodber had invited
him to accompany him that first morning.

"You know, it's for you to choose, Michael," said Miss Carthew.

"Well, I would like you to come," said Michael at last.

So at ten minutes past nine they set out. All sorts of boys were going
to school along the Hammersmith Road, boys of every size carrying
satchels or bags or loose bundles of books. Most of them wore the
Jacobean cap, and Michael eyed them with awe; but many wore the cap of
St. James' Preparatory School, and these Michael eyed with curiosity as
well as awe. He spoke very little during the walk and felt all the way a
sinking of the heart. When actually he reached the gate of Randell
House, the less formal appellation of St. James' Preparatory School, he
longed to turn back with Miss Carthew, as he thought with sentimental
pangs of the pleasant schoolroom and of Stella sitting by Miss Carthew,
learning to read through a sunlit morning.

"Don't come in with me," he whispered.

"Quite right," said Miss Carthew approvingly. "Much better without me."

"And don't wave, will you?" he begged. Then with an effort he joined the
stream of boys walking confidently through the big gate.

In the entrance hall a ginger-haired foxy-faced man in a green uniform
said sharply:

"New boy?"

Michael nodded.

"Stand on one side, please. Mr. Randell will see you presently."

Michael waited. He noticed with pride that the boy next to him had
brought with him either his mother or his sister or his governess.
Michael felt very superior and was glad he had resisted the temptation
to ask Miss Carthew to come in with him. He noticed how curiously the
other boys eyed this lady and fancied that they threw contemptuous
glances at the boy who had introduced her. Michael was very glad indeed
that he had let Miss Carthew turn back.

Chapter VII: _Randell House_

The preliminaries of Michael's c