doing ten times as well as I did, but I shall never
be a swell like Power," said the child simply. "And I know it's all
your doing, not his. O, how shall I ever learn to thank and pay you for
all you do for me?"

"By being a good and brave little boy, Arty. Good-night, and God bless
you."

"Good-night, Walter."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE MARTYR-STUDENT.

Impositique rogis juvenes ante ora parentum.

Georgic Four, 1 71.

The days that followed, as the boys resumed the regular routine of
school work, passed by very rapidly and pleasantly--rapidly, because the
long-expected Christmas holidays were approaching; pleasantly, because
the boys were thoroughly occupied in working up the subjects for the
final examination. For Walter especially, those days were lighted up
with the warm glow of popularity and success. He was aiming with boyish
eagerness to win one more laurel by gaining the first place in his form,
and whenever he was not taking exercise, either in some school game or
by a ramble along his favourite cliffs and sands, he was generally to be
found hard at work in Mr Percival's rooms, learning the voluntary
repetitions, or going over the trial subjects with Henderson, who had
now quite passed the boundary line which separated the idle from the
industrious boys.

One morning Henderson came in chuckling and laughing to himself. "So
Power's taking a leaf out of your book, Walter. I declare he's becoming
a regular sociable grosbeak."

"Sociable grosbeak? what _do_ you mean?"

"O, don't you know that I'm writing a drama called the `Sociable
Grosbeaks,' in which you and Ken and I are introduced? I didn't mean to
introduce Power, he wasn't gregarious enough; but I _shall_ now, and he
shall prologise."

"But why is he more sociable now?"

"Why, he's actually let one of the--oh, I forgot, I mustn't call names--
well, he's given Eden the run of his study."

"O yes; I knew that," said Walter smiling. "At first, it was the
funniest thing to see them together, they were both so shy; but after a
day or two they were quite friends, and now you may find Eden perched
any day in Power's window-seat, grinding away at his Greek verbs, and as
happy as a king. Power helps him in his work, too. It'll be the making
of the little fellow. Already he's coming out strong in form."

"Hurrah for the grosbeaks," said Henderson. "I _did_ mean to chaff
Power about it, but I won't, for it really is very kind of h