s afraid he would forget me, he assured me that he
would not. Really he is a kind-hearted, good-natured fellow, and I do
feel excessively happy at his good fortune."

Buttar agreed that Ernest saw the matter in its true light, and so did
Ellis, and then they bethought them how they could show him their
regard. Unfortunately, as it was the end of the half, none of them had
any store of pocket-money remaining; so one proposed offering him a
penknife, and another a pocket-comb, and a third an inkstand; indeed,
there was no end of the number of small gifts which Monsieur Malin had
pressed upon him. He was in a dilemma about the matter.

"You see, my dear young friends, that I do not like to refuse, and I do
not like to deprive you of these things; yet I am truly grateful to you
for this mark of your regard. What I will do is this; I will make a
list of your names, and of all the things you desire to give me. You
shall keep the articles, all of which you can use, but I could not; and
I will keep the list, and when I look at it, I shall be fully reminded
of you all, of your generosity, and of your kindly regard towards me."

Monsieur Malin had to go away a week or so before the school broke up.
Just about that time Ernest wrote home, giving an account of the story
he had heard about Ellis, of the injustice that he felt that he himself
had done him, of the strong evidence he had discovered in his favour,
and consequently of his wish to make him all the amends in his power.
By return of post he received a letter from his father, enclosing one to
Ellis, warmly inviting him to spend a portion of his holidays at Oakland
Ellis could not fail to be gratified, as were his parents, who gave him
leave to accept the invitation. Buttar's family were spending the
summer in the neighbourhood; and curiously enough, Tom Bouldon and
Gregson had been invited to visit some friends living not far off. The
schoolfellows thus found themselves near together during the early part
of the summer holidays. No long time passed before they all met. How
they did talk of fishing expeditions, of cricket-matches, of boating, of
pic-nics, of riding, of archery meetings, of bathing, of sports of all
sorts, in the water and out of the water, on sea and on land! Ellis
talked a great deal of yachting also, but they were too far from the sea
to have any hopes of indulging in the amusement. He was much more at
home in a boat than on horseback, for ridin