en the merry bugle
which means dinner.

Before and after dinner, a blessing is asked by the chief captain of
cadets. When the cloth has been removed and grace has been said, away
they rush for a short time of fun before study at two, and they do a
somewhat light class of work till half-past three.

This is the happy time of all the day, and so you would think if you saw
them.

Before you would have thought they could be all fairly out of their
studies, you will see many of them rushing down to the large boats,
which are waiting alongside. They are dressed in white flannel trousers,
which they are all obliged to put on before going ashore. It is a fine
sight to see these boats, one on each side of the ship, filled full of
boys, all eager to get to their games.

We must follow them ashore. But first, I must tell you that in winter
they go directly after dinner, and stay ashore till four o'clock. They
then have their afternoon study from half past four till six.

It is much better for the boys to have daylight for their run ashore,
instead of waiting till daylight has all gone, and landing at half past
three to find it soon become dark.

On Wednesday and Saturday, when there is a half-holiday, they have
dinner at twelve and land directly after. And then they are free in
summer till a quarter to seven. What a royal time most schoolboys would
think this! No roll-call. They are quite free to go as far as they like,
for there are no bounds, except the town.

They are on their honour not to go into houses. This, and their promise
not to bathe at any but the appointed time and place, are the only
restrictions put upon them.

But we must hurry after them, or they will get the start of us, and we
shall lose them.

We have not far to go before we catch them. A bugle sounds, and a
hundred and twenty forms plunge from the bathing-stage and quay into the
water. The bright harbour is dotted with the heads of swimmers. Some
backward boys are being taught to swim in a "swimming-tray," a thing
like a flat-bottomed barge, sunk with its bottom about four feet below
the surface. A capital place it is for teaching youngsters to swim. But
all soon learn, and are free to join the others in sporting about and
cutting capers in the water. A warning bugle of one note says "it will
soon be time to get out," and by the time the bugle sounds fifteen
minutes from the first, they must all get out of the water.

The gymnasium--the building