his "fending for
himself" in the dark on the rail-road.

Very long did the evening seem to the listening sisters. Eight, and
no tidings; nine, the boys not come; Tom obliged to go to bed by sheer
sleepiness, and Ethel unable to sit still, and causing Flora demurely to
wonder at her fidgeting so much, it would be so much better to fix her
attention to some employment; while Margaret owned that Flora was right,
but watched, and started at each sound, almost as anxiously as Ethel.

It was ten, when there was a sharp pull at the bell, and down flew the
sisters; but old James was beforehand, and Harry was exclaiming, "Dux!
James, he is Dux! Hurrah! Flossy, Ethel, Mary! There stands the Dux of
Stoneborough! Where's papa?"

"Sent for to Whitford. But oh! Norman, Dux! Is he really?"

"To be sure, but I must tell Margaret," and up he rushed, shouted the
news to her, but could not stay for congratulation; broke Tom's slumber
by roaring it in his ear, and dashed into the nursery, where nurse for
once forgave him for waking the baby. Norman, meanwhile, followed his
eager sisters into the drawing-room, putting up his hand as if the
light dazzled him, and looking, by no means, as it he had just achieved
triumphant success.

Ethel paused in her exultation: "But is it, is it true, Norman?"

"Yes," he said wearily, making his way to his dark corner.

"But what was it for? How is it?"

"I don't know," he answered.

"What's the matter?" said Flora. "Are you tired, Norman, dear, does your
head ache?"

"Yes;" and the pain was evidently severe.

"Won't you come to Margaret?" said Ethel, knowing what was the greater
suffering; but he did not move, and they forbore to torment him with
questions. The next moment Harry came down in an ecstacy, bringing in,
from the hall, Norman's beautiful prize books, and showing off their
Latin inscription.

"Ah!" said he, looking at his brother, "he is regularly done for.
He ought to turn in at once. That Everard is a famous fellow for an
examiner. He said he never had seen such a copy of verses sent up by a
school-boy, and could hardly believe June was barely sixteen. Old Hoxton
says he is the youngest Dux they have had these fifty years that he
has known the school, and Mr. Wilmot said 'twas the most creditable
examination he had ever known, and that I might tell papa so. What did
possess that ridiculous old landlubber at Whitford, to go and get on the
sick-list on this, of all the nights of