and never failed to practise, when he could, both with
the foils and broadsword. He also took lessons regularly in dancing and
drilling, and seemed anxious to perfect himself in all athletic
exercises.

However coldly others had treated Ellis, there was one person who ever
turned a deaf ear to the stories told of him, and never for a moment
altered his conduct towards him. That was Monsieur Malin. From the
time Ellis had begun to learn French of him he had become his firm
friend. Some believed that Ellis had confided to him the circumstances
of his past history; but the less generous could not understand how he
had managed to secure the regard of the French master, and fancied that
he had invented some tale to gain his sympathy.

Thus the half-year drew on; the cold weather at last passed away.
Spring commenced, the flowers bloomed, the leaves came out on the trees,
the birds began to sing, the fish to dart and leap out of the water.
Ernest and Buttar were reminded of a visit they promised, long, long
before, to pay to John Hodge. They agreed to make it a fishing
expedition, and to try their luck in the wide stream they had crossed on
that day memorable for their hare hunt. They invited Gregson to
accompany them. They wished to ask Ellis, but the moment school was
over he had disappeared, and had not even waited for dinner. To absent
himself he must have obtained leave from the Doctor; so they set off
without him. They were very merry. Gregson was excessively amusing,
with his quaint anecdotes about animal life and the adventures which had
happened to him.

"I would rather go elephant and lion hunting for a year than become
prime minister of England," he observed, laughing. "Nothing could
compensate me for not being allowed to live in the country,--the largest
fortune would not, had I to spend it in London; and I should prefer
Australia or New Zealand, or the wilds of the Cape Colony, or Natal, or
the backwoods of Canada. Still I am a Briton, and wherever I might go I
should like to live under the flag of old England."

Ernest and Buttar echoed the last sentiment.

"But," said Ernest, "for my part I should not wish to live without the
society of my equals in knowledge and intelligence. In my opinion, the
interchange of ideas and information is one of the charms of existence.
In that way we get, in the most agreeable manner, at the pith and marrow
of books, at the opinions of other people, and at what i