railing with the
big school-gates in the middle, and at one of the windows appeared Baker
and Paynton as soon as the bell rang. At the next window Mr. Wilson's
back was visible as he wrote at his study table.

'Right, left; right, left!' drilled the sergeant, and the small boys
marked time steadily. But his instructions were suddenly cut short, for
something charged through the gates behind him and stretched the
unfortunate man flat on his back. By the time he had raised himself
again to a sitting posture and had begun to wonder what could have
happened, he found that the orderly lines had disappeared, and that the
whole of the lower school, headed by a rough-looking farm-boy with a
piece of broken rope in his hand, was engaged in chasing the most wily
and cunning black pig that ever made his escape. He dodged and doubled
turned and twisted, charged down the small boys and avoided the large
ones, till the whole 'quad' resounded with cries of 'Catch on to his
tail!' 'Don't let him pass you!' 'There he goes!' and the windows began
to fill with interested spectators. At last Mr. Wilson himself threw
open his own window to see what was happening.

A few minutes later Baker and Paynton sauntered into the 'quad' and
joined in the chase, which was ended, eventually by the pig being driven
into a corner, so as to allow the farm-boy to refasten the rope.

By that time Mr. Wilson had also descended, and was inquiring sternly
into the meaning of the pig's presence in his school-yard.

'Well, it's this way,' drawled the boy stolidly, 'it's no use trying to
keep this pig shut up, and a pig that isn't shut up puts on no fat, so
Farmer Jones says to me on Monday, "Bill, that pig's no good; take him
into market on Thursday and see what you can get for him," and just as
he was passing your gate he broke his rope and in he bolted.'

'Well, another time see that he breaks his rope somewhere else,' said
the Head Master.

'He won't have another chance of breaking ropes with me,' said the boy
as he touched his hat and turned away. Then he caught sight of Baker on
the outskirts of the crowd.

'Oh, there you be, Master Baker,' he said with a grin;' if so be as you
could give me that sixpence now it would save me another walk into
town.'

'Why does Master Baker owe you sixpence?' inquired Mr. Wilson with
interest.

'Oh! he lives next door to Jones's, he does, and he says to me yesterday
when we was talking together, "Bill, if you do