cer utter a low sigh, and my breast felt overcharged as we
went back to our desks, where we were no sooner seated than Mercer
whispered,--

"Never mind, old chap! we'll help one another; and he never asked who we
had been fighting with, so we didn't get extra punishment for being
stubborn. Oh dear me, what a rum place school is!"

Poor Mercer, he had yet to learn, as I had, that the school was only the
world in miniature, and that we should find our life there almost
exactly the same when we grew up to be men.

"I wonder what Mr Hasnip will set us to do," I thought, as the clock at
last told that the morning's studies were nearly at an end, and I was
still wondering when the boys rose, and Eely Burr, Dicksee, and the
other big fellow, Hodson, came round behind us, and the first
whispered,--

"Lucky for you two that you didn't tell. My! I shouldn't have liked to
be you, if you had."

"Go and scent your handkerchief," said Mercer angrily. "I'd tell if I
liked."

"If they weren't here, I'd punch your ugly head," whispered Eely, and
they all three went out, leaving us two alone in the great schoolroom,
with the ushers at one end, and the Doctor, contrary to his usual
custom, still in his desk at the other.

"Stand, Thomas Mercer and Burr junior," he said. "Or no--Mercer can
keep his seat."

I rose with Mercer, who resumed his place.

"Burr junior," said the Doctor, rolling out his words slowly, as if they
were so precious that they ought to make a proper impression, "I
sentenced you to a certain series of punishments, to endure for fourteen
days; but you are new, untrained, and have been so unfortunate as to
receive such education as you possess by private tuition. Under these
circumstances, you are wanting in social knowledge, especially of the
kind bearing upon your conduct to your fellow-workers in a school like
this. In consequence, I shall make a point of looking over this your
first offence, and exonerating you. That will do."

I murmured my thanks, and remained in my place.

"Well," said the Doctor, as Mr Hasnip coughed to take my attention,
"why are you waiting?"

"For Mercer, sir."

"But I have not excused him. He is not a new boy; and besides, I am
sure you would like him to be punished."

"No, no!" I said eagerly; "and I don't want to be let off if he is
not."

"Hum! Hah!" ejaculated the Doctor, looking at me benevolently through
his spectacles. "Well--er--er--yes--I like that. M