ibility
of which neither side had yet foreseen.

The last day of the term arrived in due course, bringing with it that
jolly time when everybody is excited, happy, and good-tempered; when the
morning's work is a mere matter of form, and the boys slap their books
together at the sound of the bell, with the joyful conviction that the
whole length of the Christmas holidays lies between them and "next
lesson."

Directly after dinner every one commenced "packing up;" which term might
have been supposed to include every form of skylarking which the heart
of the small boy could devise, from racing round the quadrangle, arrayed
in one of Bibbs's night-shirts, to playing football in the gymnasium,
North _versus_ South, with the remains of an old mortar-board.

It was at this period of the day that the Triple Alliance proceeded to
carry out a project which had for some little time occupied the minds of
at least two of their number. The idea was that the little fraternity
should celebrate their approaching separation, and the consequent
breaking up of their association, with a sort of funeral feast, the cost
of which Jack and Diggory insisted should be borne by the two surviving
members. Only one outsider was invited to attend--namely, "Rats," whose
cheery presence it was thought would tend to enliven the proceedings,
and chase away the gloomy clouds of regret which would naturally hang
over the near prospect of parting.

The box-room (where such functions usually took place) being at this
time in a state of indescribable uproar, it was decided that the banquet
should be served in one of the remote classrooms.

"None of the fellows'll come near it," said Jack Vance; "and if old
Watford should be knocking round and catch us there, he won't do
anything to-day; we shall have to clear out, that's all."

Accordingly, about a quarter to four, the three friends, with their
solitary guest, assembled at the trysting-place. Jack Vance carried two
big paper bags, Diggory a biscuit-box and a small tin kettle, while the
other two were provided with four clean jam-pots, it having been
announced that there was "going to be some cocoa."

For the preparation of this luxury Diggory mounted a form and lit one of
the gas-jets, over which he and Jack Vance took it in turns to hold the
kettle until the water boiled. Sugar, cocoa, and condensed milk were
produced from the biscuit-tin, and the jam-pots having been filled with
the steaming bev