on't think he will."

"Well, it might be warmish for him if he did."

"Very warmish," said Gilks, with a scowl, which it was just as well for
Wyndham's comfort he did not see.

There was a silence, during which Gilks whistled to himself, and Silk
regarded his ally with a smile.

"You are a nice boy!" he broke out presently. And the laugh which
greeted this very unoriginal observation closed the conversation for a
time.

Meanwhile, down at the boat-house things were getting very lively.

Telson, Philpot, Pilbury, Cusack, King, and other of our juvenile
friends, who, with their usual modesty, proposed to run along with the
race, and now formed part of the crowd which awaited the start, kept up
a boisterous chorus of shouts, some of defiance, some of derision, some
of applause, addressed alternately to foe and friend.

The young Welchers especially, having no personal interest in the race,
felt themselves delightfully free to make themselves objectionable to
all parties, and took full advantage of the circumstance.

They howled at everybody and everything. Whenever King and Bosher
greeted the appearance of the Parrett's boat with a friendly cheer they
hooted; and no sooner did Telson sing out to welcome the crew of his
house, but they caterwauled derisively in the same direction.

"Jolly lot _they_ know about rowing!" yelled Cusack.

"Why don't you give them some lessons?" retorted Telson, hotly.

"Boo--hoo! Who got kicked out his boat! Young muller, couldn't steer a
tub."

"I'll tub you, young Pilbury, see if I don't, presently," replied
Telson.

"Never mind them," shouted King, "can't even make up a boat; pack of
funks, all of them!"

"Hullo! who are you?" cried Philpot, rounding on these new assailants.
"We'd have a boat, never fear, if there was any chance of fair play."

"Lot of fair play you'd want, to turn the boat round and round and catch
crabs every other second!"

"There are our fellows!" cried Wyndham, raising a loud cheer as
Fairbairn, Coates, Porter, Crossfield, and Riddell appeared on the
landing stage.

"Hurrah! schoolhouse, hurrah!"

"Ye-ow, look at them--there's a lot!" hooted the Welchers.

"There's old Parson!" yelled Telson, Bosher, and King, as the youthful
hero in question strutted magnificently down to the landing.

"What cheer, stuck-up jackass?" howled the Welchers, with an insulting
laugh; "why don't you grin?"

This remark was suggested by Parson grandly waving his