is home and home-doings were left out of the conversation; before
very long, Hamilton had made an intimate mental acquaintance with all
his little friend's family, their habits of life, and every other
interesting particular Louis could remember. Hamilton was an excellent
listener, and never laughed at Louis' fondness for home, and many were
the extracts from home-letters with which he was favored; nay, sometimes
whole letters were inflicted on him.

Among the many delightful topics of home history, Louis dwelt on few
with more pleasure and enthusiasm than the social musical evenings,
and said so much on them, that Hamilton's curiosity was at length
aroused, after hearing Louis sing two or three times, to wonder what
a madrigal could be like. Louis tried to satisfy this craving by
singing the treble part, and descanting eloquently on the manner in
which the other parts ought to come in; but all in vain he repeated,
"There now, Hamilton, you see this is the _contralto_ part; and when
this bit of the _soprano_ is sung, it comes in so beautifully, and the
bass is crossing it, and playing hide and seek with the tenor."

Hamilton was obtuse, but at length, by fagging very hard with one
or two boys in the school-room, and getting one of the ushers, who
generally performed a second in all the musical efforts in the school,
to make some kind of bass, Louis presented his choir one evening in the
playground, and made them sing, to the great rapture of the audience.

After this exhibition, the whole school seemed to have a fever for
madrigals; nothing was heard about the playground but scraps of that
which Louis had taken pains to drill into his party; and one or two
came to Louis and Reginald to learn to take a second part. In play-hours,
nothing seemed thought of but part-singing, and suddenly the propriety
of giving a grand public concert was started; and after a serious debate,
a singing-class was established, Louis being declared president, or
master of the choir.

We will not say how fussy Louis was on the occasion; but he went about
very busily trying the voices of his school-fellows for a day or two
after his appointment, and picking out the best tones for his pupils.
Casson owned a very fine singing voice, though it was one of the most
rude in speaking, and having been partially initiated in the mystery
before, by Louis was declared a treasure. Frank Digby was another
valuable acquisition; for, joined to an extremely s