several others; "and, Kenrick--if I may break
through, on such an occasion as this, our ordinary forms, and address
you by name--I am sure you will believe that though I have very often
opposed you, no one will be more glad than myself to welcome you back as
a friend, and to hope that you may soon be, what you are so capable of
being, not only our greatest support, but also one of the brightest
ornaments of our body." He held out his hand, which Kenrick readily
grasped, whispering, with a sigh, "Ah, Flip, how I wish that we had
never broken with each other!"

The proposal was carried by acclamation, and Power accordingly tore out
the sheet and put it in the fire. And that night brightened for Kenrick
into the dawn of better days. Twenty times over Walter thought that
Kenrick was going to speak to him--for his manner was quite different;
but Kenrick, though every particle of ill-will had vanished from his
mind, and had been replaced by his old unimpaired affection, put off the
reconciliation until he should have been able in some measure to recover
his old position, and to meet his friend on a footing of greater
equality.

Do not let any one think that his reformation was too easy. It took him
long to conquer himself, and he found the task sorely difficult; but
after many failures and relapses, the words of another who had sinned
and suffered three thousand years ago, and who, after many a struggle,
had discovered the true secret, came home to Kenrick and whispered to
him the message--"Then I said, _It is mine own infirmity: but I will
remember the years of the right-hand of the Most Highest_."

It was not long before one great difficulty confronted him, the
consequence of former misdeeds, and put him under circumstances which
demanded the whole courage of his character, and thoroughly tested the
sincerity of his repentance.

After Mackworth's expulsion, and under Whalley's good government, the
state of the Noelites greatly improved. Charlie Evson, for whom, now,
by the by, Kenrick always did everything that lay in his power, became
far more a model among the younger boys than Wilton had ever been, and
there was a final end of suppers, smoking parties, organised cribbing,
and recognised "crams." But just as the house was recovering lost
ground, and had ceased to be quite a byeword in the school, it was
thrown into consternation by a long-continued series of petty thefts.

Small sums were extracted from the boy