soon after the boys had again given up the hunt, and told the Doctor
what he had done, he came away, and saw Mr Rebble, who told Burr major,
and Burr major told Hodson who was the medium that conveyed to the boys
generally the fact that the Doctor had shaken his head.

The next day came, and the next, and another day passed, with the
memories of the cricket match growing more faint. Burr major's watch
was not found, and, after the first two days, the boys had ceased to
look suspiciously at one another, and charge a school-fellow with having
hid the watch "for a game." Lessons went on as usual, and my riding was
kept up, but the cob was only brought over once a week.

I had a pretty good time at the drilling though, but that was only in
company with the other boys.

Then the days grew to weeks, and we had our trip to Hastings; that is to
say, our eleven; and, being free from headache this time, both Mercer
and I played, all coming back in triumph, and nearly sending the private
omnibus horses off at a wild gallop as we neared the school: for we came
back to announce that we had beaten our adversaries in one innings, they
having scored so badly that they had to follow on.

This trip revived the talk about Burr major's watch, but only for a day
or two, and then once more the topic died out, though I heard
incidentally from Mr Hasnip that the Doctor was bitterly grieved at
such a loss taking place in his school.

I worked hard in those days, and made rapid progress, I afterwards
found, though I did not grasp it at the time, and I had now grown to
like my school life intensely.

Now and then a letter came from the General, asking leave for Mercer and
me to go over to early dinner, the old gentleman welcoming us warmly,
and making me give proofs of my progress in all parts of my education
that had a military bearing. Then we were sent back in the dog-cart,
generally with a crown a piece, and a big basket of fruit--a present,
this latter, which made us very popular with the other boys, who envied
our luck, as they called it, greatly, particularly our expeditions to
the General's ponds, from which we brought creels full of trophies in
triumph. But only to have our pride lowered by the cook, to whom we
took our prizes, that lady declaring them all to be rubbish except the
eels, and those, she said, were too muddy to be worth the trouble of
taking off their skins.

Then, too, we had natural history excursions to make a