r
finds his coat too small for him. The spines which appear so rigid when
he is dead, he can move when alive in any direction, and they are an
excellent substitute for feet; while he can put forth tentacles from the
centre orifice, which serve him as hands. Did you ever see a starfish
walk? Well, he can get very rapidly over the ground and up steep rocks.
He can bend his body into any shape, and the lower surface is covered
with vast numbers of tentacles, with which he can work his onward way;
and it is extraordinary what long journeys he is able to accomplish by
perseverance."

Gregson wound up his lecture by promising to commence a salt-water
aquarium, and most of his companions undertook to make another excursion
with him for the purpose of conveying back a sufficient supply of
salt-water and living curiosities to stock it. They all agreed that
they had mightily enjoyed their day's excursion. Ernest, for the first
time since he had come to school, felt rather ashamed of himself that he
knew so little about natural history, especially of the sea, and he
resolved to take every opportunity of making himself acquainted with the
subject. Just before they reached home they passed through the field
where they had left Blackall and his party. Most of the boys had gone
away; but they saw three or four collected together at the bank where
the bully had been sitting. He was there; and his companions were
bending over him endeavouring to rouse him up. Several empty porter
bottles lay near, which plainly told what was the matter with him--he
was helplessly tipsy. Lemon, and Ernest, and Buttar went forward to
help to drag him along. He looked a picture of imbecility and
brutishness. He knew none of them; and only grinned horribly when they
spoke to him. Though they felt he richly deserved punishment, it was a
point of honour to endeavour to save a school-fellow from disgrace, so
they hauled him along and got him into his room and put to bed without
meeting any of the masters or the matron--an undertaking they could not
have performed except in the holidays. Nearly all his companions next
day looked very wretched and complained of headaches--a pretty strong
proof of the ill effects of drinking. Alas, how many youths have been
hopelessly ruined by the example and counsels of a wretch like
Blackall!--and how many, in consequence of habits such as his, have sunk
into an early and unhonoured grave, after continuing for a