key is right, Mather; it would be a beastly shame to be fighting
this morning. After what Porson said there oughtn't to be any rows
today. We shall soon see whether he means it."

Mather suffered himself to be dissuaded from carrying his threat into
execution, the rather that in his heart of hearts he was not assured
that the course would have been a wise one. Ned had never fought in
the school, but Tompkins' account of his fight on the moor with Bill
Swinton, and the courage he had shown in taking upon himself the office
of spokesman in the rebellion against Hathorn, had given him a very
high reputation among the boys; and in spite of Mather's greater age and
weight there were many who thought that Ned Sankey would make a tough
fight of it with the cock of the school.

So the gathering broke up and the boys set to at their games, which were
played with a heartiness and zest all the greater that none of them were
in pain from recent punishment, and that they could look forward to the
afternoon without fear and trembling.

When at twelve o'clock the boys of the first class came out from school
the others crowded round to hear the result of the morning's lessons.
They looked bright and pleased.

"I think he is going to turn out a brick," Ripon, the head of the first
class, said. "Of course one can't tell yet. He was very quiet with us
and had a regular examination of each of us. I don't think he was at
all satisfied, though we all did our best, but there was no shouting or
scolding. We are to go in again this afternoon with the rest. He says
there's something which he forgot to mention to us this morning."

"More speeches!" Mather grumbled. "I hate all this jaw."

"Yes," Ripon said sharply; "a cane is the thing which suits your
understanding best. Well, perhaps he will indulge you; obstinate
idleness is one of the things he mentioned in the address."

When afternoon school began Mr. Porson again rose.

"There is one thing I forgot to mention this morning. I understand that
you have hitherto passed your play time entirely in the playground,
except on Saturday afternoons, when you have been allowed to go where
you like between dinner and tea time. With the latter regulation I do
not intend to interfere, or at any rate I shall not do so so long as
I see that no bad effects come of it; but I shall do so only with this
proviso: I do not think it good for you to be going about the town. I
shall therefore put Marsden out