nd Casson, that he might finish telling
him his lesson, according to promise. When Dr. Wilkinson arrived, he
narrowly watched the manners of his pupils towards Ferrers, and was
satisfied with his scrutiny, though he was, of course, unconscious of
the means by which the civility shown had been procured. It is to be
hoped that we have not gone so far in the delineation of Dr. Wilkinson's
school, without discovering that the spirit of honor and confidence was
generally high among the young gentlemen, and, consequently, having
promised to be friendly to Ferrers, each individual, in duty bound, did
his utmost to fulfil that promise, and in a little while the stiffness
attendant on the effort wore off, and Ferrers was, in appearance, in
precisely the same position as before, to the great satisfaction of the
doctor, who was much pleased with his pupils' conduct on the occasion.

CHAPTER XV.

"Where is Louis Mortimer?" asked Hamilton, the next Saturday afternoon,
about a quarter of an hour after dinner. "Does any one know where
Louis Mortimer is?"

"Here I am, Hamilton, _pret a vous servir_, as Monsieur Gregoire would
say!" cried Louis, starting from behind the school-room door.

"Are you engaged this afternoon?"

"Never, when you want me!" exclaimed Louis.

Hamilton looked gratified, but checked the expression as soon as he
was aware of it.

"That is not right, Louis; I never wish, and never ought, to be an
excuse for breaking an engagement."

"But suppose I make your possible requirements a condition of my
engagements," said Louis, archly; "you have no objection to that,
have you?"

"Only I cannot imagine such a case."

"Such is the case, however, this afternoon. I had the vanity to hope you
would let me walk with you, and so only engaged myself conditionally."

"To whom were you engaged in default of my sufferance?"

"I was going to stay with Casson," replied Louis, hesitatingly. "He has
a cold and headache, and he asked me if I would stay with him in the
class-room, where he is obliged to stay while we are out."

"Casson!" said Hamilton, contemptuously; "you were not talking to him
just now?"

"No; I was only listening to Ferrers. He was telling me about a wager
Frank had just laid with Salisbury."

"How is it you prefer Casson to your friend Clifton?"

"Oh, Hamilton, I don't much like Casson; but he asked me, poor fellow.
Charlie's engaged to West--our days are Sunday, Monday, and Thursday."