end of the half: I have been talking to the Doctor about him, and the bedroom affair has insured his dismissal."

"Well, I'm glad of that, at all events; though, as I am in another room, I don't so much care. Well, then, when I got into Watson's room I was jolly nothing to do, only one to fag for instead of four, and no bullying. So,' says I,

I believe in the system,' and as long as I am here may I never be in any but a præpostor's bedroom at night, or in any but the study nearest one during the day; and may my best friend always be a monitor like you. Vive la Harby! there's some French for you."

"And, dear Edward, let me add one word of grave advice. Get into the Sixth as quick as you can, and when there remember the school depends on you. Remember your own experience. Had Smith major passed a good examination last year, you would have had him in your bedroom as a præpostor, and you never would have taken up such wild ideas as you did when you came. And now, let's go in to tea. Who makes my tea to-day?"

"Strutt.”

"What a sell! He has not the least appreciation of the gentle, wife-like duty of making tea. I am sure he does not know colours, and believes green tea to be black, and black green.” I've got

"Well, come and have tea with me.

a home hamper."

"Oh, what a tempt! but no-what a bore! I'm on duty to-night, so I must have tea in the hall."

"Well, good-night! What a jolly Sunday it has been!"

"Yes, I do love Sunday at Harby, and jolly walks with dear old cronies. Good night! I mean, "bon soir."

"Au revoir !' That's better French, any how."

CHAPTER XII.

MY STUDY.

"Dolce sentier,

Cette che mi piacesti,

Or' ancor per usanza Amor mi mena;
Ben riconosco in voi l'usate forme,
Non, lasso, in me."

PETRARCA.

My study! I can picture it to myself now: not the first, not the second I inhabited, but the third. I got into it in my second year, and remained in it till the end of my school-days. Dear little home! Every piece of furniture was dear to me, every picture was an object of pride, every book a friend, every ornament a confidant.

I had reached a certain safe position in the school, and a comfortable status among my fellows. I had ceased to be a little new boy a year ago, and it would not be till a year hence that I

should reach the position of a leader, or man having authority in the house or school. I had taken my share in the bullying, and it had passed away from me. I was still a fag, and fagging in my turn in the house, no doubt; but in a quiet, gentlemanly manner, knowing exactly what had to be done, and doing it regularly as a matter of course.

What a curious little room it was! The plan of it lies before me in one of my letters home. Eight feet long by six and a half broad, the door opposite the window, and the little fireplace by the side. A pretty little patterned carpet, blue and red, covered the floor, and the walls were hung with a paper to match. On each side the mantelpiece were two bookcases, full of all the school-books, and many precious volumes borrowed from home besides; with two cupboards below them full of the household utensils-pans to boil milk in, gridirons to fry bacon upon, with the little store of tea and sugar: or, at least, what remained of the allowance dealt out to us every Saturday morning. We were each allowed a pound of sugar and a quarter of a pound of

tea, coffee, or chocolate, per week. Some of us understood how to make it last till Friday night, while others were in a state of famine on Thursday morning.

The first twenty fellows in the house formed private little sets in the hall, and the remainder of the boys made up select little parties in their studies. The hall was looked upon as rather a privileged place, so at the beginning of each half-year a ballot was taken, when the twenty who had most votes were invited into the hall; and the few who found their names excluded, inveighed against the ballot as un-English and unconstitutional. But although being in the hall was the fashionable, remaining in your own study was the comfortable place for breakfast: of course, there was the additional trouble of clearing out the study after breakfast; but this was amply compensated for by the quiet meal, and the unconstrained conversation of four friends. For we who were not old enough or popular enough in the house to join the party of the elders, made up most delightful parties carrées, and enjoyed exquisite little breakfasts;