well have underneath, 'With which is incorporated the OBSERVER.'
That picks up the old traditions, makes an appeal to old boys and all
that, and it gives us something to print under the title."

I still held out for CITY MERCHANDIZE, which had taken my fancy. "Some
of the chaps' people won't like it," said Naylor, "certain not to. And
it sounds Rum."

"Sounds Weird," said a boy who had not hitherto spoken.

"We aren't going to do anything Queer," said Shoesmith, pointedly not
looking at Britten.

The question of the title had manifestly gone against us. "Oh! HAVE it
ARVONIAN," I said.

"And next, what size shall we have?" said Cossington.

"Something like MACMILLAN'S MAGAZINE--or LONGMANS'; LONGMANS' is better
because it has a whole page, not columns. It makes no end of difference
to one's effects."

"What effects?" asked Shoesmith abruptly.

"Oh! a pause or a white line or anything. You've got to write closer for
a double column. It's nuggetty. You can't get a swing on your prose." I
had discussed this thoroughly with Britten.

"If the fellows are going to write--" began Britten.

"We ought to keep off fine writing," said Shoesmith. "It's cheek. I vote
we don't have any."

"We sha'n't get any," said Cossington, and then as an olive branch to
me, "unless Remington does a bit. Or Britten. But it's no good making
too much space for it."

"We ought to be very careful about the writing," said Shoesmith. "We
don't want to give ourselves away."

"I vote we ask old Topham to see us through," said Naylor.

Britten groaned aloud and every one regarded him. "Greek epigrams on the
fellows' names," he said. "Small beer in ancient bottles. Let's get a
stuffed broody hen to SIT on the magazine."

"We might do worse than a Greek epigram," said Cossington. "One in each
number. It--it impresses parents and keeps up our classical tradition.
And the masters CAN help. We don't want to antagonise them. Of
course--we've got to departmentalise. Writing is only one section of the
thing. The ARVONIAN has to stand for the school. There's questions
of space and questions of expense. We can't turn out a great chunk of
printed prose like--like wet cold toast and call it a magazine."

Britten writhed, appreciating the image.

"There's to be a section of sports. YOU must do that."

"I'm not going to do any fine writing," said Shoesmith.

"What you've got to do is just to list all the chaps and put a note to
their play:--'Nayl