at one so openly, and like a gentleman, and as if one was
working with him."

"Well, so he does," said East; "he's a splendid fellow, and when I get
into the sixth I shall act accordingly. Only you know he has nothing
to do with our lessons now, except examining us. I say, though,
"looking at his watch, "it's just the quarter. Come along."

ARTHUR GOES HOME.

As they walked out they got a message, to say "that Arthur was just
starting and would like to say good-bye"; so they went down to the
private entrance of the School-house, and found an open carriage, with
Arthur propped up with pillows in it, looking already better, Tom
thought.

They jumped up on to the steps to shake hands with him, and Tom
mumbled thanks for the presents he had found in his study, and looked
round anxiously for Arthur's mother.

East, who had fallen back into his usual humor, looked quaintly at
Arthur, and said:--

"So you've been at it again, through that hot-headed convert of yours
there. He's been making our lives a burden to us all the morning about
using cribs. I shall get floored to a certainty at second lesson, if
I'm called up."

Arthur blushed and looked down. Tom struck in:--

"Oh, it's all right. He's converted already; he always comes through
the mud, after us, grumbling and spluttering."

The clock struck, and they had to go off to school, wishing Arthur a
pleasant holiday, Tom lingering behind a moment to send his thanks and
love to Arthur's mother.

THE SIEGE REOPENS.

Tom renewed the discussion after second lesson, and succeeded so far
as to get East to promise to give the new plan a fair trial.

Encouraged by his success, in the evening, when they were sitting
alone in the large study, where East lived now almost, "vice[14]
Arthur on leave," after examining the new fishing-rod, which both
pronounced to be the genuine article ("play[15] enough to throw a
midge[16] tied on a single hair against the wind, and strength enough
to hold a grampus[17]") they naturally began talking about Arthur.
Tom, who was still bubbling over with last night's scene and all the
thoughts of the last week, and wanting to clinch and fix the whole in
his own mind, which he could never do without first going through the
process of belaboring somebody else with it all, suddenly rushed into
the subject of Arthur's illness, and what he had said about death.

[14] #Vice# (v[=i]-s[=e]): in place of.

[15] #Play#: lightness, elast