took their places along the forms quite an hour before
noon, this punctuality having something to do with getting the best
places, as they put it, though--as the forms were in a line under the
brick wall, which was low enough with their help for the shortest boy to
see over, and the procession would pass close beneath--it was hard to
see any difference in the positions, or why the form reserved for the
masters was any better than that at the extreme end.

But certainly the masters' form was considered the best from the fact
that it stood first, while the nearest end of the next form was taken up
in spite of his declaration by Slegge, whose greatest admirers got as
close to him as they could or as he would allow.

"Let's go and stand with them," said Singh, as they crossed over to the
wall.

"Oh, I don't know," replied his companion. "I vote we go right to the
other end along with the juniors."

"Very well," said Singh with a laugh; "but they'll say it's because
we're afraid."

"Yes," replied Glyn coolly; "but let them. I don't think we are." And
leading the way, he made for the last form, which they had all to
themselves, and stood there quietly looking down at the crowd below and
along the Duncombe road, which was pretty well lined with people
standing about or seated in cart or chaise waiting for the coming sight.

The masters were not in such a hurry, and they remained in the house
talking together, so that they were not present to see the skylarking
and listen to the banter going on, a good deal of which was set going by
Slegge, who was in a high state of glee, and scattered a great deal of
chaff, to the great delight of his parasites, who eagerly conveyed
insulting messages from their chief to the two new pupils at the other
end of the line--at least, they bore those that were not too offensive;
others that seemed likely to produce some form of resentment from the
lads they attacked were sent on by the youngest boys.

All this palled after a time, and a certain amount of whispering
beginning close at hand, Slegge asked sharply what the whisperers were
talking about, when silence ensued, no one present daring to repeat the
remark which Burney had made, which was to the effect that old Slegge
had said that he was not going to stoop to see the miserable procession,
but all the same he had taken the best place.

The consequence was that Slegge guessed pretty correctly that something
was being whispered deal