ion
getting the better both of his scholastic judgment and academical
dignity, and he would probably have proceeded to further extremities had
not Tom Larkyns started up.

"Oh, please don't punish Leigh, sir," I heard him cry out as I lay on
the floor, just within reach of the Doctor's thick club-soled boots,
with which I believe he was just going to operate on me in "Lancashire
fashion," as fighting men say. "Please, sir, don't hurt Leigh--it was I
who did it!"

At this interruption, which seemed to recall him to himself, the master
regained his composure in an instant.

"Get up, boy!" he said to me, gruffly, spurning me away with his foot,
and then, as soon as I was once more in a perpendicular position, he
ordered me, sooty as I was, to go and stand up alongside of Tom.

"Brothers in arms, hey?" chuckled our incensed pedagogue, pondering over
the most aggravating form of torture which he could administer to us in
retaliation for what we had made his person and dignity suffer. "I'll
make you sick of each other's companionship before I've done with you!
Stand up there together now, you pair of young desperadoes, while the
rest of the boys have dinner, which your diabolical conduct has so long
delayed. Mr Smallpage, say grace, please."

"Smiley" thereupon performed the Doctor's usual function; then the
fellows were helped round to roast mutton and Yorkshire pudding--Tom and
I, both hungry as usual, you may be sure--having the gratification of
smelling without being allowed to taste.

This was Dr Hellyer's very practical first stage of punishment; he
always commenced with starving us for any offence against his laws and
ordinances, and then wound up his trilogy of penance with a
proportionate number of "pandies" and solitary confinement.

After dinner the other boys were dismissed, but Tom and I remained still
standing there; Dr Hellyer the while seated in his armchair watching us
grimly as if taking pleasure in our sufferings, and without uttering a
word to either of us.

The afternoon progressed, and the fellows came trooping in to tea at
six, the old woman first arriving; to lay the cloth and put on the china
teapot and tin mugs. We, however, had to pass through the same ordeal
as at dinner; there was none for us, for still the Doctor sat there in
the armchair by the fire, looking in the dancing gleams of light like
some old wizard or magician weaving a charm of spells which was to turn
us into stone whe