."

Tom ran up the staircase and into Drysdale's rooms, and was
leaning out of the window at his side in another minute.

"What does he get by it?" he said, "do you know?"

"No; some books bound in Russia, I dare say, with the Oxford
arms, and 'Dominus illuminatio mea,' on the back."

"No money?"

"Not much--perhaps a ten'ner," answered Drysdale, "but no end of
[Greek text] kudoz, I suppose."

"It makes it look well for his first, don't you think? But I wish
he had got some money for it. I often feel very uncomfortable
about that bill, don't you?"

"Not I, what's the good? It's nothing when you are used to it.
Besides, it don't fall due for another six weeks."

"But if Blake can't meet it then?" said Tom.

"W ell, it will be vacation, and I'll trouble greasy Benjamin to
catch me then."

"But you don't mean to say you won't pay it?" said Tom in horror.

"Pay it! You may trust Benjamin for that. He'll pull round his
little usuries somehow."

"Only we have promised to pay on a certain day, you know."

"Oh, of course, that's the form. That only means that he can't
pinch us sooner."

"I do hope, though, Drysdale, that it will be paid on the day,"
said Tom, who could not quite swallow the notion of forfeiting
his word, even though it were only a promise to pay to a
scoundrel.

"All right. You've nothing to do with it, remember. He won't
bother you. Besides, you can plead infancy, if the worst comes to
the worst. There's such a queer old bird gone to your friend
Hardy's rooms."

"The mention of Hardy broke the disagreeable train of thought
into which Tom was falling, and he listened eagerly as Drysdale
went on.

"It was about half an hour ago. I was looking out here, and saw
an old fellow come hobbling into quad on two sticks, in a shady
blue uniform coat and white trousers. The kind of old boy you
read about in books, you know. Commodore Trunnion, or Uncle Toby,
or one of that sort. Well, I watched him backing and filling
about the quad, and trying one staircase and another; but there
was nobody about. So down I trotted and went up to him for fun,
and to see what he was after. It was as good as a play, if you
could have seen it. I was ass enough to take off my cap and make
a low bow as I came up to him, and he pulled off his uniform cap
in return, and we stood there bowing to one another. He was a
thorough old gentleman, and I felt rather foolish for fear that
he should see that I expected a lark whe