h.

"_We_ sha'n't consider it a disgrace," said I.

"Thank you very much, Jones iv. If that is so, we shall feel it was
worth living for to have your approbation. Now you had better go and
write out your lines."

"What?" said I. "I thought we were none of us going to do that."

"I have warned you once against the perils of thinking. It's a bad
habit for little boys. Off you go, or you won't get your _poena_ done
in time."

"What am I to tell the others?" I inquired.

"You may tell them it's a fine evening. Cut--do you hear?"

It was a great come-down. The Philosophers thought so when I reported
the case. Some were inclined to be angry with Tempest, others to pity
him; and every one was unanimous, I do not know why, in expressing a
burning desire to kick me.

The expectation of a general revolt, headed by Tempest in person, and
reinforced by the Urbans, faded dismally away as the company saw itself
going down to "knock off" Mr Jarman's lines.

"This comes," said Langrish, rather illogically, I thought, "of getting
mixed up with the day-boy cads. I knew it would land us in a mess, and
so it has."

"Anyway, they're in the mess too," said Trimble.

"It's a little rough on Tempest having to show up for them as well as
for us," said I.

"Shut up, and let a fellow write his lines, can't you?" growled Coxhead.
"When we want Sarah's advice we'll ask for it."

The reader will gather from this that the Philosophers were in bad
tempers, and that their president was in imminent danger of losing his.

At noon next day, when most of the school was turning out after morning
class into the fields, a melancholy band might have been seen dropping
in, in irregular order, at the door of the school gymnasium. All except
one were juniors. Some looked as if they were used to the thing, other
betrayed the shy and self-conscious embarrassment of the first
delinquents. None looked cheerful, not a few looked savage. The
exception in point of age was a well set-up, square-shouldered, proud-
faced senior, who entered with an air of reckless disgust which was not
comfortable to look at, and might be dangerous if provoked. None of us
spoke to Tempest, and he vouchsafed no sign of recognition of us.

A squad of the school volunteers, chiefly composed of smart boys from
Mr Selkirk's house, were concluding drill as we entered, and of course
took stock of our dejected looks and of Tempest's unwonted appearance as
they fil