es; while poor Eric was reading, Rose reminded me of Milton's
serpent," observed Ball sententiously--

"Hope elevates, and joy
Brightens his crest."

"He-e-ar! he-e-ar!" said Pietrie; "_vide_ the last fifth-form
Repetition."

"I expect Eric won't see everything so much _couleur de rose_ now, as
the French frog hath it," remarked Graham.

"Turn him out for his bad pun," said Wildney.

"That means you're jealous of it, old fellow," answered Graham.

"I can't say either you or he _rose_ in my estimation in consequence,"
said Wildney, chuckling, as he dodged away to escape Graham's pursuit.

"It was too bad to stand by and triumph, certainly," observed Llewellyn.

"I say, you fellows," remonstrated the sober little Wright, who, with
Vernon, was sitting reading a book at one of the desks, "all that isn't
fair. I'm sure you all saw how really sorry Rose looked about it; and
he said, you know, that it was merely for the sake of school discipline
that he put the matter in Rowlands's hands."

"Discipline be hanged," shouted Brigson; "we'll have our revenge on him
yet, discipline or no."

"I hope you won't though," said Vernon; "I know Eric will be sorry if
you do."

"The more muff he. We shall do as we like."

"Well, I shall tell him; and I'm sure he'll ask you not. You know how
often he tries to stick up for Rose."

"If you say a word more," said Brigson, unaccustomed to being opposed
among his knot of courtiers, "I'll kick you out of the room; you and
that wretched little fool there with you."

"You may do as you like," answered Wright quietly; "but you won't go on
like this long, I can tell you."

Brigson tried to seize him, but failing, contented himself with flinging
a big coal at him as he ran out of the room, which narrowly missed his
head.

"I have it," said Brigson; "that little donkey's given me an idea.
We'll _crust_ Rose to-night."

"To crust," gentle reader, means to pelt an obnoxious person with
crusts.

"Capital," said some of the worst boys present, "we will."

"Well, who'll take part?"

No one offered. "What! are we all turning sneaks and cowards? Here,
Wildney, won't you? you were abusing Rose just now."

"Yes, I will," said Wildney, but with no great alacrity. "You'll not
have done till you've got us all expelled, I believe."

"Fiddlestick-end! and what if we are? besides, he can't expel half the
school."

First two or three more offered, and then a whole lot, gaining c