be as industrious, and get up these
lovely mornings. Been making plans with the gardener about your little
gardens, I see. That's right--that's right. But, as I was saying,
Rebble," he continued, turning away, "Galileo's opinion, when combined
with that of Kepler and Copernicus, is all buzz-buzz-buzz--"

So the latter part of his speech sounded to us, as they went on toward
the bottom of the garden.

"All buzz buzz buzz," whispered Mercer; "and that's what lots of others
of those old folks' opinions sound like to me--all buzz buzz buzz in my
poor head. I say, wasn't it lucky they didn't see the ferret?"

"They think we were speaking to him about gardening."

"Yes. What a game! We must go down to our gardens now, and pretend we
got up early to work."

"I shan't," I said shortly. "I hate being so deceptive, and I wish you
wouldn't be, Tom."

"Well, it don't sound nice, does it?" he replied thoughtfully. "But
it's so easy."

"Perhaps we had better not go after the rabbits."

"Oh, but we must now. Don't you sneak back. I shall go, and nobody
will know."

I felt doubtful, but I ended by promising.

"I say," cried Mercer suddenly, "what time is it? Oh, I do wish I had a
watch! You can't see the clock from here, but my clock inside says it's
breakfast-time."

"Let's go and see, then," I said, and we went toward the schoolroom.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

That was a most unfortunate day for me in school, for, as happens
sometimes, I was wrong over one of my lessons, and was sent down, and it
seemed to upset all the others, so that it was just like setting up a
row of dominoes, then you touch one and it sends all the rest over.

Scold, find fault, grumble,--Mr Hasnip was just as if his breakfast had
not agreed with him because he got up too early; and at last I was back
in my seat, with my face burning, my head aching, and a general feeling
of misery troubling me, which was made the worse by the keen enjoyment
Burr major and his parasites found in triumphing over me, and coming by
my place every now and then to whisper--"Poor fellow, then!--turned
back--going to be caned," and the like, till I ground my teeth, clenched
my fists, and sat there bent over the exercises before me, seeing
nothing but the interior of Lomax's cottage, and listening to his
instructions how to stop that blow and retort with another, till in
imagination I could fancy myself thrashing my enemies, and making for
myself a lasting p