mean?"

"It's too long," John explained. "I like a nice round head like yours,
Caesar. I wish I wasn't so ugly."

Desmond laughed. John always amused him. Caesar was easily amused, saw
the funny side of things, and contrasts tickled his fancy agreeably. But
he stopped laughing when he realized that John was hurt. Then, quickly,
impulsively, he said--

"Your head is all right, old Jonathan. And your voice is simply
beautiful." He spoke seriously, staring at John as he had stared in the
Speech-room when John began to sing. "I came here to tell you that. I
felt odd when you were singing--quite weepsy, you know. You like me, old
Jonathan, don't you?"

"Awfully," said John.

"Why did you look at me when you sang that last verse? Did you know that
you were looking at me?"

"Yes."

"You looked at me because--well, because--bar chaff--you--liked--me?"

"Yes."

"You--you like me better than any other fellow in the school?"

"Yes; better than any other fellow in the world."

"Is it possible?"

"I have always felt that way since--yes--since the very first minute I
saw you."

"How rum! I've forgotten just where we did meet--for the first time."

"I shall never forget," said John, in the same slow, deliberate fashion,
never taking his eyes from Desmond's face. Ever since he had sung, he
had known that this moment was coming. "I shall never forget it," he
repeated--"never. You were standing near the Chapel. I was poking about
alone, trying to find the shop where we buy our straws. And I was
feeling as all new boys feel, only more so, because I didn't know a
soul."

"Yes," said Desmond, gravely; "you told me that. I remember now; I
mistook you for young Hardacre."

"You smiled at me, Caesar. It warmed me through and through. I suppose
that when a fellow is starving he never forgets the first meal after
it."

"I say. Go on; this is awfully interesting."

"I can remember what you wore. One of your bootlaces had burst----"

"Well; I'm----"

"I had a wild sort of wish to run off and buy you a new lace----"

"Of all the rum starts I----"

"Afterwards," John continued, "I tried to suck-up. I asked you to come
and have some 'food.' Do you remember?"

"I'll bet I came, Jonathan."

"No; you didn't. You said 'No.'"

"Dash it all! I certainly said, 'No thanks.'"

"I dare say; but the 'No' hurt awfully because I did feel that it was
cheek asking you."

"Jonathan, you funny old buster, I'll never say 'No' agai