kept a great secret. There could be no doubt that the Doctor would
approve of it ultimately, but at first he might be startled; though he
never hesitated to introduce any alterations which were improvements, he
might possibly look upon fagging without that reverence which it
deserved as a time-honoured institution. He could not fail to
acknowledge that fagging was a very good thing; but then his school was
not a public school, however first-rate it might be as a private
establishment; and he might not wish to make it like a public school.
Thus the important subject was discussed for some time, till at last it
was decided that it would be wiser to begin quietly, at the same time in
due form. The big fellows who had resolved to be the masters determined
to draw up a paper, which the intended fags were to sign, agreeing to do
duty and to serve their masters as fags, according to the custom
established at all public and first-rate schools. Barber, Dawson, and
other advocates of the system, signed the precious document willingly
enough, and they managed to get some twenty other boys to do the same.

But when it was shown to Buttar and Bouldon, they turned it over and
over, and asked what it meant.

"Oh, don't you know?" exclaimed Dawson. "It's a plan we have got up for
becoming a public school."

"I'll tell you what," answered Buttar, bursting into a fit of laughter,
"I look upon the affair as a bit of arrant tom-foolery; and so you may
tell the donkeys who drew it up."

Dawson grew very red; but he had a respect for Buttar's knuckles, and so
he held his tongue. Bouldon had, meantime, recognised Blackall's
handwriting, and having a considerable amount of contempt for those
whose signatures were attached, he exhibited it in an unmistakable,
though certainly an unrefined manner, by holding up the paper, and
spitting into the middle of it. Then he folded it up, and crammed it
into Dawson's pocket. Dawson and he had had a set-to fight a little
time before, and though Dawson was the biggest fellow of the two, he had
ultimately declined continuing the combat. The action performed by
Bouldon was equivalent to a declaration of war to the knife with
Blackall and all the big fellows who supported the system he wished to
introduce. Dawson turned redder than ever, and looked very fierce at
him; but Tom closed his mouth, planted his feet firmly on the ground,
and doubling his fists, said--

"You'd better not attempt it, D