ing over, in case any one had forgotten them, the rules of
Westover's house, the class was dismissed for the present, all except
the new boys being permitted to go out into the court or playing-fields
till dinner.

It was a welcome relief to our new boys to find themselves together once
more with the enemy beyond reach.

Their ranks showed signs of severe conflict. One boy, who had rashly
worn a light blue necktie in the morning, wore no necktie now;
Heathcote's jacket was burst under the arm; Dick bore no scars in his
raiment, but his nose was rather on one side and his face was rather
grimy; Aspinall was white and hot, and the "skeery" look about his eyes
proclaimed he had had almost enough for one day.

After dinner, at which our heroes rejoiced to find "the Assyrians" had
something more serious to do than to heed them, Templeton went out into
the fields to air itself. There was nothing special doing. A few
enthusiastic athletes had donned their flannels, and were taking
practice trots round the half-mile path. Another lot were kicking about
a football in an aimless way. Others were passing round a cricket ball
at long range. But most were loafing, apparently undecided what to turn
themselves to thus early in the term.

One or two of the Fifth, however, appeared to have some business on
hand, in which, much to their surprise, our new boys found they were
concerned.

The senior whose arrival they had witnessed in the morning came up to
where they were, and said:

"You're all three new boys, aren't you?"

"Yes," they replied.

"Well, go up to the flag-staff there, and wait for me."

With much inward trepidation they obeyed, wondering what was to happen.

Swinstead, for that was the name of the Fifth-form fellow, continued his
tour of the field, accosting all the new boys in turn, and giving them
the same order.

At length, the long-suffering twenty clustered round the flag-staff, and
awaited their fate.

It was simple enough. Every new boy was expected to race on his first
day at Templeton, and that was what was expected of them now.

"Let's have your names--look sharp," said one Fifth-form fellow, with a
pencil and paper in his hand, who seemed to look upon the affair as
rather a bore. "Come on. Sing out one at a time."

They did sing out one at a time.

"Twenty of them," said the senior, running down his list. "Four fives,
I suppose?"

"Yes," said Swinstead. "Clear the course, somebody