in his lines, and
so had to wait till the second round, while Martin and Arthur said
theirs all right and got out of school at once. When Tom got out and ran
down to breakfast at Harrowell's they were missing, and Stumps informed
him that they had swallowed down their breakfasts and gone off
together, where, he couldn't say. Tom hurried over his own breakfast,
and went first to Martin's study and then to his own, but no signs of
the missing boys were to be found. He felt half angry and jealous of
Martin--where could they be gone?

He learnt second lesson with East and the rest in no very good temper,
and then went out into the quadrangle. About ten minutes before school
Martin and Arthur arrived in the quadrangle breathless; and, catching
sight of him, Arthur rushed up all excitement and with a bright glow on
his face.

"Oh, Tom, look here," cried he, holding out three moor-hen's eggs;
"we've been down the Barby Road to the pool Martin told us of last
night, and just see what we've got."

Tom wouldn't be pleased, and only looked out for something to find fault
with.

"Why, young un," said he, "what have you been after? You don't mean to
say you've been wading?"

The tone of reproach made poor little Arthur shrink up in a moment and
look piteous, and Tom with a shrug of his shoulders turned his anger on
Martin.

"Well, I didn't think, Madman, that you'd have been such a muff as to
let him be getting wet through at this time of day. You might have done
the wading yourself."

"So I did, of course, only he would come in too to see the nest. We left
six eggs in; they'll be hatched in a day or two."

"Hang the eggs!" said Tom; "a fellow can't turn his back for a moment
but all his work's undone. He'll be laid up for a week for this
precious lark, I'll be bound."

"Indeed, Tom, now," pleaded Arthur, "my feet ain't wet, for Martin made
me take off my shoes and stockings and trousers."

"But they are wet and dirty, too--can't I see?" answered Tom; "and
you'll be called up and floored when the master sees what a state you're
in. You haven't looked at second lesson, you know." Oh Tom, you old
humbug! you to be upbraiding any one with not learning their lessons! If
you hadn't been floored yourself now at first lesson, do you mean to say
you wouldn't have been with them? and you've taken away all poor little
Arthur's joy and pride in his first birds' eggs; and he goes and puts
them down in the study, and takes down his