e to come, now?"

"I'm very hard at work; I can't be sure."

"You needn't stay above half an hour. I've brought back some
famous wine from the governor's cellar; and I want so to get you
and Jervis together. He is sure to come."

"Why, that's the bell for chapel beginning already," said Hardy;
"I had no notion it was so late. I must be off, to put the new
servitor up to his work. Will you come in after hall?"

"Yes if you will come to me next Thursday."

"We'll talk about it. But mind you come to-night; for you'll find
me working Grey in the Punic wars, and you'll see how the pins
act. I'm very proud of my show."

And so Hardy went off to chapel, and Tom to Drysdale's rooms, not
at all satisfied that he had made Hardy safe. He found Drysdale
lolling on his sofa, as usual, and fondling Jack. He had just
arrived, and his servant and the scout were unpacking his
portmanteaus. He seemed pleased to see Tom, but looked languid
and used up.

"Where have you been this vacation?" said Tom; "you look seedy."

"You may say that," said Drysdale. "Here, Henry, get out a bottle
of Schiedam. Have a taste of bitters? there's nothing like it to
set one's digestion right."

"No, thank'ee," said Tom, rejecting the glass which Henry
proffered him; "my appetite don't want improving."

"You're lucky, then," said Drysdale. "Ah, that's the right stuff!
I feel better already."

"But where have you been?"

"Oh, in the little village. It's no use being in the country at
this time of year. I just went up to Limmer's, and there I stuck,
with two or three more, till to-day."

"I can't stand London for more than a week," said Tom. "What did
you do all the day?"

"We hadn't much to say to day-light" said Drysdale. "What with
theatres, and sparing-cribs and the Coal-hole and Cider-cellars,
and a little play in St. James's Street now and then, one wasn't
up to early rising. However, I was better than the rest, for I
had generally breakfasted by two o'clock."

"No wonder you look seedy. You'd much better have been in the
country."

"I should have been more in pocket, at any rate," said Drysdale.
"By Jove, how it runs away with the ready! I'm fairly cleaned
out; and if I haven't luck at Van John, I'll be hanged if I know
how I'm to get through term. But, look here, here's a bundle of
the newest songs--first rate, some of them." And he threw some
papers across to Tom, who glanced at them without being at all
edified.

"You're goin