long pause, as though he were considering
of what possible use such a garment could be. At length a ray of light
seemed to break in upon the darkness, and once more laying hands on the
Macintosh he proceeded, after unhooking it from the nails on which it
hung, slowly and deliberately to put it on, with the back part foremost,
somewhat after the fashion of a child's pinafore. Having at length
accomplished this difficult operation, he walked, or rather shuffled
(for his petticoats interfered greatly with the free use of his limbs),
up and down the hall, with a grave, not to say solemn, expression of
countenance. Appearing perfectly satisfied after one or two turns that
he had at last solved the enigma, he divested himself of the perplexing
garment, hung it on a peg appropriated to great-coats, and approached
the door of the pupils' room.

By the time he entered Lawless was seated at his desk studying
Herodotus, while Coleman and I were deeply immersed in our respective
Euclids.

After shaking hands with Oaklands, and addressing some good-natured
remarks to each of us in turn, he went up to Lawless, and, laying his
hand kindly on his shoulder, said, with a half-smile:--

~61~~"I am afraid I have made rather an absurd mistake about that
strange garment of yours, Lawless; I suppose it is some new kind of
greatcoat, is it not?"

"Yes, sir, it is a sort of waterproof cloth, made with Indian rubber."

"Indian rubber, is it? Well, I fancied so; it has not the nicest smell
in the world. I certainly thought it was a smock-frock, though, when I
saw you go out in it. Is not it rather awkward to walk in? I found it so
when I tried it on just now, and buttoning behind does not seem to me at
all a good plan."

"No, sir, but it is meant to button in front; perhaps you put it on the
back part foremost."

"Hem!" said Dr. Mildman, trying to look as if he thought such a thing
impossible, and failing--"it is a very singular article of dress
altogether, but I am glad it was not a smock-frock you went out in. I
hope," continued he, turning to Oaklands, with an evident wish to change
the conversation, "I hope they took good care of you when you arrived
last night?"

This was turning the tables with a vengeance! Lawless became suddenly
immersed in Herodotus again.

"Oh! the greatest," was the reply; "I had so much attention paid me
that I was almost _upset_ by it. I was not quite overcome, though," he
continued, with a sly glance tow