.

He stops and examines their condition with a grim smile. "Ah! East,
Hall, and Brown, late for locking-up. Must go up to the Doctor's study
at once."

"Well but, Thomas, mayn't we go and wash first? You can put down the
time, you know."

"Doctor's study d'recly you come in--that's the orders," replied old
Thomas, motioning towards the stairs at the end of the passage which led
up into the Doctor's house; and the boys turned ruefully down it, not
cheered by the old verger's muttered remark, "What a pickle they boys be
in!" Thomas referred to their faces and habiliments, but they construed
it as indicating the Doctor's state of mind. Upon the short flight of
stairs they paused to hold counsel.

"Who'll go in first?" inquires Tadpole.

"You--you're the senior," answered East.

"Catch me--look at the state I'm in," rejoined Hall, showing the arms of
his jacket. "I must get behind you two."

"Well, but look at me," said East, indicating the mass of clay behind
which he was standing; "I'm worse than you, two to one; you might grow
cabbages on my trousers."

"That's all down below, and you can keep your legs behind the sofa,"
said Hall.

"Here, Brown, you're the show-figure--you must lead."

"But my face is all muddy," argued Tom.

"Oh, we're all in one boat for that matter; but come on, we're only
making it worse, dawdling here."

"Well, just give us a brush then," said Tom; and they began trying to
rub off the superfluous dirt from each other's jackets, but it was not
dry enough, and the rubbing made it worse; so in despair they pushed
through the swing door at the head of the stairs, and found themselves
in the Doctor's hall.

"That's the library door," said East in a whisper, pushing Tom forwards.
The sound of merry voices and laughing came from within, and his first
hesitating knock was unanswered. But at the second, the Doctor's voice
said "Come in," and Tom turned the handle, and he, with the others
behind him, sidled into the room.

The Doctor looked up from his task; he was working away with a great
chisel at the bottom of a boy's sailing boat, the lines of which he was
no doubt fashioning on the model of one of Nicias' galleys. Round him
stood three or four children; the candles burnt brightly on a large
table at the further end covered with books and papers, and a great fire
threw a ruddy glow over the rest of the room. All looked so kindly, and
homely, and comfortable, that the boys took heart