at all inclined to be ceremonious.

Louis felt a little afraid of Norman, though he did not exactly
know why.

Norman did not follow them immediately; and Hamilton had nearly
emptied his first cup of tea when he came in, in company with
Trevannion and Frank Digby, the latter of whom had a marvellous
facility for making acquaintances on the shortest notice. They
sat down at the end of one of the three long tables, and continued
laughing and talking the whole of the tea-time, after which Norman
went to his own tea with the doctor.

"So, Louis, Norman's come!" exclaimed Reginald, pouncing upon his
brother just as he reached the school-room door.

"Is he a friend of yours?" asked Trevannion.

"He is, and he is not. Make that riddle out at your leisure,"
replied Reginald, gayly.

"Oh, that settles the matter!" said Trevannion.

"What matter?" asked Louis.

A look of the most withering description was the only answer
Louis received; it was enough, however, to deter him from
repeating his question.

Happily, Reginald did not see it.

"How do you like our new-comer, Trevannion?" asked Hamilton,
linking his arm in his friend's, preparatory to a short, after-tea
turn in the playground. "There is something very peculiar about
him--insolent, I think."

"He's a nice fellow, in my opinion," said Trevannion.

"A very knowing chap," said Salisbury. "Has he been here before?"

"No," said Frank Digby; "but somebody's been kind enough to give
the full particulars, history, and lives, peccadilloes, _et cetera_,
_et cetera_, _et cetera_, of the gentlemen, generally, and individually,
at Ashfield Academy. Why, Hamilton, he called Trevannion and Salisbury
by their names, without any introduction, and is as much up to every
thing here as yourself, I believe."

"I don't much fancy him," said Hamilton; "and strongly suspect he won't
add much to our comfort."

"He doesn't like your pet, I suppose, then," said Trevannion,
marking the slight color that rose in Hamilton's face. "He told
me of your strange rencontre in the class-room; he has taken a
fancy, I am sure, to you."

Hamilton did not look particularly delighted, and changed the subject
to one on which he and Trevannion conversed most amicably till past
their usual time for re-entering the study.

Norman did not come among them that evening till prayer-time; and,
to his great satisfaction, Louis saw very little of him for the next
day or two.

One day, during the fi