umbling at the Fifth."

"And so would you if you saw the complimentary remarks they make about
you in this precious newspaper of theirs."

"Oh, the _Dominican_? I must have a look at it by and by; but meanwhile
something had better be done to stop that row, or we shall catch it
ourselves."

And so saying, the captain left these injured youths to their own
counsels, which it is to be feared were moved more by dislike for the
_Dominican_ than by a burning desire for the good order of the school.

However, they must do something; and there would be nothing inconsistent
with their dignity in demanding the withdrawal of the obnoxious
broadside on account of the noise it caused. This would be a safe move,
and might be checkmate. Loman was deputed to wait upon the Fifth with
the demand of the monitors, and lost no time in carrying out this
welcome task. Class was just over, and the Fifth were just about to
clear out of their room when Loman entered. It was not often that a
Sixth Form fellow penetrated into their camp, and had they not guessed
his mission they might have resented the intrusion.

"Oh, you fellows," began Loman, feeling not quite so confident now as he
had felt five minutes ago, "we can't have that thing of yours hanging
out in the passage like that. It makes a crowd--too much row. Whose is
it?"

"Not mine," said Wraysford, laughing; "ask Bully--perhaps it's his."

"Not a bit of it," said Bullinger; "it's yours, isn't it, Simon?"

"Only part," said the poet of the "Love-Ballad", "and I presented that
to the paper."

"Suppose it was mine?" said Oliver, with a drawl.

"Then," said Loman, losing his temper, "all I can say is, the sooner you
clear it away the better."

"Oh! all right; only it's not mine."

"Look here," said Loman, "I'm not going to fool about with you. You may
think it all very funny, but I'll report it to the Doctor, and then
you'll look foolish."

"How nice! So pleasant it will be to look for once like what you look
always," observed Pembury, gnawing the top of his crutch.

At that moment there was a loud shout of laughter in the passage
outside, confirming the monitor's complaint. Wraysford walked hastily
to the door.

"The next time there's a row like that outside our door," called he to
the group outside, "we'll--what do you mean by it, you young
blackguard?"

So saying, he caught Master Bramble, who happened to be the nearest
offender within reach, by the collar o