ry afternoon that I was certain
something was wrong; and Philpot's flushed face, and Rathbone's scowl,
and Flanagan's unusual gravity, all went to corroborate the suspicion.
But Smith's face and manner were the most tell-tale. The first day he
had seemed a little doubtful, but gradually the lines of his mouth
pulled tighter at the corners, and his eyes flashed oftener, and I could
guess easily enough that he at least had not found his heart's content
at Stonebridge House.

My term of penal servitude expired on Sunday; and in some respects I
came out of it better than I had gone in. For Mr Hashford had the
charge of all detained boys, and he, good-hearted, Henniker-dreading
usher that he was, had spent the three days in drilling me hard in
decimal fractions; and so well too, that I actually came to enjoy the
exercise, and looked upon the "repeating dot" as a positive pastime.
Even Miss Henniker could not rob me of that pleasure.

"Batchelor," whispered Flanagan to me, as we walked two and two to
church behind the Henniker that Sunday, "that new fellow's an awfully
queer cove. I can't make him out."

"Nor can I. But how's he been getting on the last day or two?"

"Getting on! You never knew such scenes as we've had. He's afraid of
nobody. He licked Philpot to fits on Thursday--smashed him, I tell you.
You never saw such a demon as he is when his dander's up. Then he
walked into Rathbone; and if Rathbone hadn't been a foot taller than
him, with arms as long as windmills, he'd have smashed Rathbone."

"Did he try it on you?" I inquired.

"No--why should he?" said the sturdy Flanagan; "time enough for that
when I make a brute of myself to him. But I dare say he'd smash me too.
It's as good as a play, I tell you. That time he did for Philpot he
was as quick with his right, and walked in under his man's guard, and
drove up at him, and took him on the flank just like--"

"A bad mark to Flanagan for talking, and to Batchelor for listening,"
rose the voice of Miss Henniker in the street.

This public award made us both jump, and colour up too, for there were a
lot of ladies and gentlemen and young ladies close at hand, all of whom
must have distinctly heard the Henniker's genial observation. However,
I was most curious to hear more of Smith. Flanagan and I both had colds
the rest of the way and finished our conversation behind our
handkerchiefs.

"Have you heard any more about him?" asked I. "Not a word.