isingly. "I suppose you didn't go in for
the entrance exam, then?"

"Yes, I did," said the boy.

"Poor chap," thought Dick, "fancy a fellow who's never left his mammy's
apron-strings going in for an exam. How did you get on?" he added,
turning to his companion.

"Pretty well, I think," said the boy shyly.

"I was twenty-first out of thirty-six," said Dick, "and Heathcote here
was fifteenth--where were you?"

Again the boy made a mute appeal for toleration, as he replied, "I was
first."

Dick put down his cup, and stared at him.

"Go on!" said he.

"It was down on the list so," said the boy with an apologetic air.
"They sent one with the names printed."

Dick made a desperate onslaught on the bread-and-butter, regarding his
neighbour out of the corners of his eyes from time to time, quite at a
loss to make him out.

"How old are you?" he demanded presently.

"Thirteen."

"What's your name?"

"Bertie Aspinall."

"Whose house are you going to live in?"

"Mr Westover's."

"Oh!" said Dick, abruptly ending the conversation, and turning round
towards Heathcote.

In due time the meal was over, and the boys were told they could do as
they liked for the next hour, until the matron was at leisure to show
them their quarters.

So for another hour the promenade in the Quadrangle was resumed. Not so
dismally, however, as before. The tea had broken the ice wonderfully,
and instead of the studied avoidance of the afternoon, one group and
another fell now to comparing notes, and rehearsing the legends they had
heard of Templeton and its inmates. And gradually a fellow-feeling made
every one wondrous kind, and the little army of twenty in the prospect
of to-morrow's battles, drew together in bonds of self-defence, and felt
all very like brothers.

Aspinall, however, who knew no one, and had not dared to join himself to
any of the groups, paced in solitude at a distance, hoping for nothing
better than that he might escape notice and be left to himself. But
Dick, whose interest in him had become very decided, found him out
before long and, much to his terror, insisted in introducing him to
Heathcote and attaching him to their party.

"There's nothing to be in a funk about, young 'un," said he. "I know I
don't mean to funk it, whatever they do to me."

"I'll back you up, old man, all I can," said Heathcote.

"I expect it's far the best way not to kick out, but just go through
with it," said Dick. "Tha