nd half the cricket-matches to come yet. And
what shall I do all that time alone in our study? Why, Arthur, it will
be more than twelve weeks before I see you again. Oh, hang it, I can't
stand that! Besides who's to keep me up to working at the examination
books? I shall come out bottom of the form, as sure as eggs is eggs."

Tom was rattling on, half in joke, half in earnest, for he wanted to
get Arthur out of his serious vein, thinking it would do him harm; but
Arthur broke in,--

"Oh, please, Tom, stop, or you'll drive all I had to say out of my head.
And I'm already horribly afraid I'm going to make you angry."

"Don't gammon, young un," rejoined Tom (the use of the old name, dear to
him from old recollections, made Arthur start and smile and feel quite
happy); "you know you ain't afraid, and you've never made me angry since
the first month we chummed together. Now I'm going to be quite sober for
a quarter of an hour, which is more than I am once in a year; so make
the most of it; heave ahead, and pitch into me right and left."

"Dear Tom, I ain't going to pitch into you," said Arthur piteously; "and
it seems so cocky in me to be advising you, who've been my backbone ever
since I've been at Rugby, and have made the school a paradise to me. Ah,
I see I shall never do it, unless I go head over heels at once, as
you said when you taught me to swim. Tom, I want you to give up using
vulgus-books and cribs."

Arthur sank back on to his pillow with a sigh, as if the effort had been
great; but the worst was now over, and he looked straight at Tom, who
was evidently taken aback. He leant his elbows on his knees, and stuck
his hands into his hair, whistled a verse of "Billy Taylor," and then
was quite silent for another minute. Not a shade crossed his face,
but he was clearly puzzled. At last he looked up, and caught Arthur's
anxious look, took his hand, and said simply,--

"Why, young un?"

"Because you're the honestest boy in Rugby, and that ain't honest."

"I don't see that."

"What were you sent to Rugby for?"

"Well, I don't know exactly--nobody ever told me. I suppose because all
boys are sent to a public school in England."

"But what do you think yourself? What do you want to do here, and to
carry away?"

Tom thought a minute. "I want to be A1 at cricket and football, and all
the other games, and to make my hands keep my head against any fellow,
lout or gentleman. I want to get into the sixth before I le