endly looks, made all the
more unpleasant by the unnatural size of his nose and lips. But he had
had a lesson, and carefully confined himself to grimaces, fearing that
Jack might renew the struggle.

The week passed slowly, so that Jack was heartily glad when the carriage
drove up to the door, and he and his father were whirled away to the
station, together with a couple of large school boxes. The past seven
days had been decidedly dull and unpleasant. There had been an obvious
coolness between Captain and Mrs Somerton, which affected the whole
house, and in addition Frank had been silent and morose, and
occasionally inclined to forget his caution and venture upon sarcastic
jeers.

But Jack took it all calmly, the knowledge that he was going where he
would make many friends helping him to do so. He therefore carefully
abstained from answering, and when on the point of leaving, shook hands
with his stepbrother heartily. Mrs Somerton gave him a kiss which was
as cold as an icicle, and good-natured, fat old Banks squeezed his hand,
and huskily wished him good luck and good-bye.

It was not long before they arrived at their destination, and that night
Jack was one of the new boys at a large school where there were as many
as four hundred. It was a new experience, but he enjoyed it, despite
the many jokes which his comrades saw fit to make at his expense. For a
few days he put up with them all good-naturedly, and soon felt quite at
home; so much so, that before very long, when comparing his present life
with the unhappy days he had lately spent at Frampton Grange, he had
scarcely sufficient words of praise to bestow upon it.

He quickly fell into the ways of the school, and showed his masters what
they might expect of him--which, to tell the truth, was not a great deal
at first--and rapidly made friends with all his fellows. As with most
popular lads, a nickname was very soon found for him, though why it
should have been "Toby" not one of his comrades could have told you.
Still, that is what it was, but it was used always in the most friendly
way, which showed that he was a favourite.

Before many weeks had passed shouts of "Go it, Toby! Well hit, Toby!"
resounded across the playing-fields; while a stranger, looking on at the
game, might often have heard a sigh of relief from certain select lads
who, like himself, were spectators, as Jack walked out to take his place
at the wickets, and "Now we'll have better l