work best in bed, while the other thought Latin and Greek a
mistake. It was the intention of the pirates to call old Poppy's
attention to these gentlemen's views.

[Illustration]

Soon after Primus came to me I learned that his schoolmaster had given
him a holiday task. All the "fellows" in his form had to write an essay
entitled "My Holidays, and How I Turned Them to Account," and to send
it to their preceptor. Primus troubled his head little about the task
while the composition of it was yet afar off; but as his time drew
near he referred to it with indignation, and to his master's action
in prescribing it as a "low trick." He frightened the housekeeper into
tears by saying that he would not write a line of the task, and, what
was more, he would "cheek" his master for imposing it; and I also
heard that he and Johnny had some thought of writing the essay in
a form suggested by their perusal of the "Comic History of Rome."
One day I found a paper in my chambers which told me that the task was
nevertheless receiving serious consideration. It was the instructions
given by Primus's master with regard to the essay, which was to be "in
the form of a letter," and "not less than five hundred words in length."
The writer, it was suggested, should give a general sketch of how he was
passing his time, what books he was reading, and "how he was making the
home brighter." I did not know that Primus had risen equal to the
occasion until one day after his departure, when I received his epistle
from the schoolmaster, who wanted me to say whether it was a true
statement. Here is Primus's essay on his holidays and how he made the
home brighter:

[Illustration]

"RESPECTED SIR:--I venture to address you on a subject of jeneral
interest to all engaged in education, and the subject I venture to
address you on is, 'My Hollidays and How I Turned Them to Account.'
Three weeks and two days has now elapsed since I quitted your scholastic
establishment, and I quitted your scholastic establishment with tears
in my eyes, it being the one of all the scholastic establishments I
have been at that I loved to reside in, and everybody was of an amiable
disposition. Hollidays is good for making us renew our studdies with
redoubled vigor, the mussels needing to be invigorated, and I have not
overworked mind and body in my hollidays. I found my uncle well, and
drove in a handsome to the door, and he thought I was much improved both
in appearance and