overtook him. He pressed him, as Buttar and Gregson
had been doing, to accompany them on their fishing excursion. At length
he said that he should like to go, but pleaded want of rod and
fishing-tackle.

Gregson laughed. "Oh, I can supply you with all you require," he
observed. "My rod you can have, and I can replace it with one to suit
my purpose in ten minutes. I have two spare tops, and tackle enough to
fit out a dozen fishermen. Come along, you have no excuse."

Ellis agreed, and with light steps the party proceeded towards the broad
stream they had fixed on. The day was warm and slightly overcast, and
the water was not too clear, so that they had a fair prospect of
success. They were not disappointed. Never before had they caught so
many fish. They kept pulling them up one after the other. Many were
very fine trout. Ellis had never caught such in his life before. They
all agreed that fishing was one of the most delightful of occupations.
Their hearts as they walked homewards opened more than ever towards each
other. Ernest at last spoke out:--

"Ellis, my dear fellow, we have been doing you great wrong,--that is,
Buttar and I,--I don't think Gregson has. We were certain that you were
very sorry, and were quite changed, but we thought you might have been
guilty of the thing they talked about; now we are certain you were not.
The money you were known to possess was given you for a good object--to
bestow in charity. One proof of your guilt falls to the ground."

"Oh, Bracebridge, I am glad to hear you say so," answered Ellis. "You
are right. I promised not to say from whom I received it, and so I
could not. No one accused me to my face. The Master knew that I was
innocent. What could I do? I now feel sure that all will turn up right
in the end. I am so happy."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS--A PIC-NIC AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

An event which made us all very sad took place at the end of that
half-year. I remember it as well as if it were yesterday. It was the
departure from the school of Monsieur Malin; yet for his sake we ought
not to have been sorry. He was going to quit a position which was
undoubtedly very irksome to a gentleman, and to return to La Belle
France to take possession of a property which had unexpectedly been left
him. He announced the fact to each of the classes as they came up to
him during the morning, and all heard the information with signs of
evident