_were_ rivals in more matters than one.
They were all three candidates for a place in the school eleven, and
all three candidates for the Nightingale Scholarship next autumn; and
besides this, they each of them aspired to control the Junior
Dominicans; and it was a sore mortification to Loman to find that,
though a monitor, his influence among the small fry was by no means as
great as that of the two Fifth Form boys, who were notoriously popular,
and thought much of by their juniors.

For these and other reasons, the relations between the two friends and
Loman were at the present time a little "strained."

To Stephen, however, Loman was all civility. He helped him in his
lessons, and gave him the reversion of his feasts, and exercised his
monitorial authority against Master Bramble in a way that quite charmed
the new boy, and made him consider himself fortunate to have fallen into
the hands of so considerate a lord.

When he entered Loman's study after his first morning's work in class,
he found that youth in a highly amiable frame of mind, and delighted to
see him.

"Hullo, Greenfield!" he said; "how are you? and how are you getting on?
I hear you are in the Fourth Junior; all among the Guinea-pigs and
Tadpoles, eh? Which do you belong to?"

"I don't know," said Stephen; "they are going to draw lots for me
to-morrow."

"That's a nice way of being elected! I say, have you any classes this
afternoon?"

"No; Mr Rastle has given us a half-holiday."

"That's just the thing. I'm going to scull up the river a bit after
dinner, and if you'd like you can come and steer for me."

Stephen was delighted. Of all things he liked boating. They lived near
a river at home, he said, and he always used to steer for Oliver there.

So, as soon as dinner was over, the two went down to the boathouse and
embarked.

"Which way shall you row?" asked Stephen, as he made himself comfortable
in the stern of the boat, and took charge of the rudder-lines.

"Oh, up stream. Keep close in to the bank, out of the current."

It was a beautiful afternoon, and Loman paddled lazily and luxuriously
up, giving ample time to Stephen, if so inclined, to admire the wooded
banks and picturesque windings of the Shar. Gusset Lock was reached in
due time, and here Loman suggested that Stephen should get out and go
round and look at the weir, while he went on and took the boat through.
Stephen acceded and landed, and Loman paddled on to the lo