g always to get his
idea into the eight lines, but not binding himself to ten or even twelve
lines if he couldn't do this. He then set to work, as much as possible
without Gradus or other help, to clothe his idea in appropriate Latin or
Greek, and would not be satisfied till he had polished it well up with
the aptest and most poetic words and phrases he could get at.

A fourth method indeed was used in the school, but of too simple a kind
to require a comment. It may be called the vicarious method, obtained
amongst big boys of lazy or bullying habits, and consisted simply in
making clever boys whom they could thrash do their whole vulgus for
them, and construe it to them afterwards; which latter is a method not
to be encouraged, and which I strongly advise you all not to practise.
Of the others, you will find the traditionary most troublesome, unless
you can steal your vulguses whole (experto crede), and that the artistic
method pays the best both in marks and other ways.

The vulguses being finished by nine o'clock, and Martin having rejoiced
above measure in the abundance of light, and of Gradus and dictionary,
and other conveniences almost unknown to him for getting through the
work, and having been pressed by Arthur to come and do his verses there
whenever he liked, the three boys went down to Martin's den, and Arthur
was initiated into the lore of bird's-eggs, to his great delight. The
exquisite colouring and forms astonished and charmed him who had
scarcely ever seen any but a hen's egg or an ostrich's, and by the time
he was lugged away to bed he had learned the names of at least twenty
sorts, and dreamt of the glorious perils of tree-climbing and that he
had found a roc's egg in the island as big as Sinbad's and clouded like
a tit-lark's, in blowing which Martin and he had nearly been drowned in
the yolk.

CHAPTER IV.

THE BIRD-FANCIERS.

"I have found out a gift for my fair,
I have found where the wood-pigeons breed:
But let me the plunder forbear,
She would say 'twas a barbarous deed."
ROWE.

"And now, my lad, take them five shilling,
And on my advice in future think;
So Billy pouched them all so willing,
And got that night disguised in drink."
MS. BALLAD.

THE next morning at first lesson Tom was turned back