pushed it back.

"He'll keep us in if we do."

"Not he. I know he wants to drive over to Hastings with the girls.
Sign, there's a good chap."

"But you haven't signed."

"No. I shall put my name last."

"Yah! Can't catch old birds with chaff, Eely."

"If you call me Eely again, I'll punch your head."

"You sign first, and I'll put my name next."

"Shan't! and if you don't put your name at once, I'll tear up the paper.
I don't want a holiday; it was all for you boys."

"Thank-ye," said my neighbour derisively.

"Just you wait till we're out in the field, Jalap, and I'll serve you
out for this."

"Burr junior," said a rich, deep, unctuous voice, which seemed to roll
through the school, and there was a dead silence.

"Here, you!--get up. Go on."

"Burr junior!" came in a louder, deeper voice.

"He means you," whispered my neighbour.

"Say _Adsum_," whispered the tall, thin boy, and, on the impulse given,
I repeated the Latin word feebly.

"Go up to him," whispered my neighbour, and, pulling my legs out from
between the form and the desk, I walked up through the centre opening
between the two rows of desks, conscious of tittering and whispering,
two or three words reaching my ears, such as "cane," "pickle," "catch it
certain."

Then, feeling hot and confused, I found myself on the dais in front of
the desk, where the Doctor was looking searchingly at me through his
gold-rimmed spectacles. Then, turning himself round, he slowly and
ponderously crossed one leg over the other, and waved his hand.

"Come to the side," he said, and feeling more conscious up there on the
dais, I moved round, and he took my hand.

"I am glad to welcome you among us, Frank, to join in our curriculum of
study, and I hope you will do us all credit. Er--rum! Let me see.
Burr--Frank Burr. We have another Burr here, who has stuck among us for
some years."

The Doctor paused and looked round with a very fat smile, in the midst
of a peculiar silence, till Mr Rebble at the other end said loudly,--

"Ha! ha! Excellent!" and there was now a loud burst of laughter.

I thought that I should not like Mr Rebble, but I saw that the Doctor
liked his appreciation of his joke, for he smiled pleasantly, and
continued,--

"Let me see. I think we have a pleasant little custom here, not more
honoured in the breach than in the observance. Eh, Mr Rebble?"

"Certainly, sir, certainly," said that gentleman, and the Doctor frowned
a