d
enough, but it was not as bad as he had imagined, nor was the foolish
boy at his side the monster of iniquity his letter had almost implied.
They had a long talk, those two, that afternoon as they paced the hard,
dry strand at the water's edge and watched the waves tumbling in from
the sea. They talked about far more than Tom White and his boat.
Dick's heart, once opened, poured into his father's ears the story of
all his trials and temptations, and hopes and disappointments, at
Templeton.

The narration did him good. It cleared and strengthened his mind
wonderfully. It humbled him to discover in how many things he had been
wrong, and in how many foolish; and it comforted him to feel that his
father understood him and judged him fairly.

It was late in the afternoon when their walk came to an end. Then Mr
Richardson said:--

"Now, I suppose you and your friends have decided that I am to give you
high tea at the 'George'--eh?"

"Thanks," said Dick, who had had a dim prospect of the kind.

"Well, I'll come up to the school and see if I can get Dr Winter to
give you leave."

"Dr Winter doesn't know about Tom White's boat, you know," said the
boy, as they walked up. "I didn't like to tell him."

Dr Winter was easily persuaded to allow the "Firm" to spend the evening
with Mr Richardson at the "George."

The small party which assembled that evening at the table of the worthy
paterfamilias did not certainly look like one over which hung the shadow
of "transportation." The talk was of "Tubs" and Harriers, of tennis and
"Sociables," of Virgil and Euclid; and as the first shyness of their
introduction wore off, the "Firm" settled down to as jovial an evening
as they had spent for a long time.

Only once did the shadow of their "row" return, when Mr Richardson, at
eight o'clock, said:--

"Now, boys, good-night. I have a solicitor coming here directly."

"About the trial, father?" asked Dick, with falling countenance.

"Yes, my boy. As the case comes on to-morrow, there is no time to be
lost."

There certainly was not; and Mr Richardson, before he went to bed that
night had not only seen a good many persons, but had materially
lightened his pockets.

Buying off the law, even in the most straightforward way, is an
expensive luxury. The prosecutors, of Tom White, seeing that their
victim had an unexpected backer, became very righteous and high-
principled indeed. They could not think of withdrawing the