d to "Facetiae." Nor could Simon understand why, for the next
week, every one he met had his thumb in his mouth. It was very queer--
one of life's mysteries--and he had thoughts of embodying the fact in
his "Sole's Allegery," which was now rapidly approaching completion.

After this bubbling up of pure verse there followed a few remarks about
Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles, which had the effect of highly incensing those
young gentlemen. The paragraph was entitled--

"Market Intelligence.

"Half a dozen mixed Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles were offered for sale by
auction on the centre landing yesterday. There was only a small
attendance. The auctioneer said he couldn't honestly recommend the lot,
but they must be got rid of at any cost. He had scrubbed their faces
and combed their hair for the occasion, but couldn't guarantee that
state of things to last. But they might turn out to be of use as
substitutes in case worms should become scarce; and, any way, by boiling
down their fingers and collars, many gallons of valuable ink could be
obtained. The first bid was a farthing, which seemed to be far beyond
the expectation of the salesman, who at once knocked the lot down. The
sale was such a success that it is proposed to knock down several more
lots in a like manner."

The rage of the Fourth Junior on reading this paragraph was something
awful to witness. Bramble, feeling he must kick somebody on the legs,
kicked Stephen, who, forgetting that he was on police duty, seized
Bramble by the hair of his head and rushed off with him to the
"meeting," closely followed by Paul and the whole swarm. That meeting
lasted from three to five. What awful threats were uttered, and what
awful vows taken, no one knew. At five o'clock Stephen's fight with
Bramble came off as usual, and all that evening Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles
did nothing but make paper darts. It was certain a crisis had come in
their history. The "dogs of war" were let loose! They would be
revenged on somebody! So they at once began to be revenged on one
another, till it should be possible to unite their forces against the
common foe.

But the remainder of the crowd stayed on to read one more extract from
the _Dominican_. Under the title of "Reviews of Books," Anthony had
reviewed in style the last number of the _Sixth Form Magazine_ as
follows:--

"This book appears to be the praiseworthy attempt of some ambitious
little boys to enter the field of letters. W