-
nail.

"I could have sworn it was a river," said he. "I say, whatever shall I
do? I don't know how I shall get through it."

"Through what--the river?" said Heathcote. "Bless you, you'll get
through swimmingly."

There was a moment's pause. Richardson looked at Coote; Coote looked at
Richardson, and between them they thought they saw a joke.

Tom pulled up by the road-side once more, while Heathcote arranged with
his creditors on the floor of the waggonette. When, at length, the
order to proceed was given, that trusty Jehu ventured on a mild
expostulation. "Look'ee here, young gem'an," said he, touching his hat.
"You've got to get to Templeton by ten o'clock, and it's past nine now.
I guess you'd better save up them larks for when you're coming home."

"None of your cheek, Tom," said Richardson, "or we'll have you down
here, and pay you out, my boy. Put it on, can't you? Why don't you
whip the beast up?"

The prospect of coming down to be paid out by his vivacious passengers
was sufficiently alarming to Tom to induce him to take their admonition
seriously to heart; and for the rest of the journey, although several
times business transactions were taking place on the floor of the
vehicle, the plodding horse held on its course, and Markridge duly hove
in sight.

With the approaching end of the journey, the boys once more became
serious and uncomfortable.

"I say," said Coote, in a whisper, as if Dr Winter, at Templeton, a
mile away, were within hearing, "do tell me whose son he was. I'm
certain he wasn't Richard the Third's. Don't be a cad, Dick; you might
tell a fellow. I'd tell you, if I knew."

"I've told you one father," said Dick, sternly, "and he didn't have
more. If you want another, stick down Edward the Sixth."

Coote's face brightened, as he produced his pencil and cleaned his
largest unoccupied nail.

"That sounds more--, Oh, but, I say, how can Edward the Sixth be Edward
the Fifth's father? Besides, he had no family and-- Oh, what a howling
howler I shall come!"

His friends regarded him sympathetically, and assisted him to dismount.

"We shall have to step out," said Richardson; "it's five-and-twenty to
ten, and it's a good mile. Look here, Tom; you've got to come and fetch
us at the school, do you hear? We're not going to fag back here after
the exam."

"My orders was to wait here till you pick me up, young gentlemen," said
Tom, grinning. "Mind what you're up to in them '