do it."

"Let him alone," said the doctor. "Reginald, take him up stairs.
Gentlemen, I can do nothing more, nor you neither, I think, to-day.
I shall give you a holiday for the remainder of it."

There was a lull in the noise as Dr. Wilkinson spoke, but just as Louis
was going out, there arose a deafening cheer, three times repeated, and
then the boys picked up their books and hurried out of doors.

Louis' heart was full of gratitude, but at the same time it was
sobered by the recollection of what Ferrers must now suffer, and the
doubt he felt respecting his fate; and as soon as he had recovered
himself, he sought the doctor to beg pardon for him.

"As he has voluntarily confessed his fault, I shall not expel him,"
replied the doctor; "but I intend that he shall beg your pardon before
the school."

Louis, however, pleaded so earnestly that he had already suffered enough,
and begged as a favor that nothing more might be said, that at length
Dr. Wilkinson gave way.

The sensation that this event had caused in the school was very great:
those who had been loudest in condemning Louis, were now the loudest in
his praise, and most anxious to load him with every honor; and when he
made his appearance among them with Reginald, whose manly face beamed
with satisfaction and brotherly pride, he was seized by a party, and
against his will, chaired round the playground, everywhere greeted by
loud cheers, with now and then "A groan for Ferrers!"

"Louis, my man, you look sorrowful," said Hamilton, as he was landed
at last on the threshold of the school-room door.

"No, no," said Salisbury, who had been foremost in the rioting;
"cheer up, Louis--what's the matter?"

"I am afraid," said Louis, turning away.

"Afraid! of what old boy?" said Salisbury. "Come, out with it."

"I am afraid you will make me think too much of what ought not to be
thought of at all--you are all very kind, but--"

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Salisbury; "we're all so vexed that we have been
such bears, and we want to make it up."

"I am sure I do not think any thing about it now," said Louis, holding
out both his hands and shaking all by turns; "I am very happy. Will you
let me ask one thing of you?"

"A hundred," was the reply; "and we'll fly on Mercury's pennons to do
your bidding."

"Put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes," said Frank Digby.

"When poor Ferrers comes among us, for my sake, do not take any notice
of what has happened."