rcumstances. The prospect
of the journey of the first class seemed to stimulate the whole
school: in fact, little else was talked of out of school-hours.

Master Lewis's customary address at the close of the first day of the
term was waited with impatient interest. When the time came for it,
there was almost a painful silence in the school-room.

[Illustration: STREET SCENE IN NORMANDY.]

"I shall speak first," said Master Lewis, "on the subject about which
your conduct tells me you are most eager to hear. I have decided to
make the journey abroad with the first class _this_ year"--

There was suppressed applause by the class.

"_Next_ year I hope to visit Switzerland and Italy, with all the
members of the school who can go, if this proposed journey should
prove a success. I say this, so that the second and third classes may
feel that they, too, have an interest in this general plan."

There was a burst of applause by the whole school.

[Illustration: COLONNADE OF THE LOUVRE.]

"I thank the boys of the first class for their letters and suggestions
about the route to be decided upon. I think I have a plan that will be
acceptable to you all. We will go first to Glasgow, will journey _en
zigzag_ to London; will there take the steamer for Antwerp, and will
make a zigzag tour from Ghent to St. Malo, taking a glance at Belgium,
a view of the whole of Normandy and the picturesque part of Brittany,
including a visit to Paris and a view of its beautiful palaces and
parks.

"As a preparation for this tour, I shall require the class to give
special attention to the French language and to English and French
history during the term."

Every thing that Master Lewis said or did was popular with the boys,
but no decision ever received more emphatic applause.

Tom Toby was busy at once, forming his secret society. He called a
meeting of the boys on the evening of the very first schoolday, in his
room. The Wynns entered willingly into his plan, and George Howe and
Leander Towle warmly supported it. Frank Gray, however, treated the
matter rather indifferently, a circumstance that Tommy quickly
observed.

"The first question to be decided," said Tommy, when the boys had met
in his room, "is, Shall we organize a secret society?"

The Wynns asked Frank Gray his opinion.

"I should prefer to hold my opinion in reserve, until I understand
what the object of the society is to be."

"It is to have a grip just like _that_," sai