purpose, certainly never for the credit of
the school. They were split up into cliques and sets of all sorts, and
the rising generation among them were left to grow up pretty much as
they liked.

On the afternoon in question an entertainment on a small scale was going
on in the study jointly occupied by Cusack and Pilbury. Captain Cusack,
R.N., when he had parted from his dutiful son the night before, had put
five shillings into his hand as a pleasant memento of his visit; and
Master Cusack, directly after second school that morning, had skulked
down into Shellport with his hat-box, and returned in due time with the
same receptacle packed almost to bursting with dough-nuts, herrings,
peppermint-rock, and sherbet. With these dainties to recommend him (and
his possession of them soon got wind) it need hardly be said he became
all of a sudden the most popular youth in Welch's. Fellows who would
have liked to kick him yesterday now found themselves loving him like
their own brother, and the enthusiasm felt for him grew to such a pitch
that it really seemed as if not only his hat-box, but he himself, was in
danger. However, by a little judicious manoeuvring he got safe into his
study, and, after a hasty consultation with Pil, decided to ask Curtis,
Philpot, Morrison, and Morgan, their four most intimate friends, to do
them the pleasure of joining in a small "blow-out" after third school.
These four worthies, who, by a most curious coincidence, happened to be
loafing outside Cusack's study-door at the very moment when Pilbury
started off to find them, had much pleasure in accepting their friend's
kind invitation; and the rest, finding themselves out of it, yapped off
disconsolately, agreeing inwardly that Cusack was the stingiest beast in
all Willoughby.

If punctuality is a test of politeness, Curtis, Morgan, Philpot, and
Morrison were that afternoon four of the politest young gentlemen in the
land; for they were all inside Cusack's study almost before the bell
dismissing third school had ceased to sound.

"Jolly brickish of you, old man," said Morrison, complacently regarding
the unpacking of the magic hat-box. "I've not seen a dough-nut for
years."

"I got these at a new shop," said Cusack, trying to rescue some of the
sherbet which had fallen in among the herrings. "Gormon never has
anything but red-currant jam in his. These are greengage."

"How jolly prime!" was the delighted exclamation.

"Three-halfpenc