the crowd, and the
Fifth Form from various positions watched with complacency the effect of
this venture.

At first it was looked upon as a curiosity, then as a joke; then
gradually it dawned on Saint Dominic's that it was a Fifth Form
production, and finally it appeared in its true light as a school
newspaper.

Loman, attracted by the crowd of boys, strolled down the passage to the
place and joined the group, just as a small boy was reading aloud the
following descriptive extract from:

"Our Special Correspondent in Guinea-pig Land.

"Last night the ceremony of admitting a new member into the ancient and
honourable craft of Guinea-pigs was celebrated with the usual mysteries.
The event took place in the fourth junior class-room. The Guinea-pigs
assembled in force, with blackened faces and false whiskers. The lights
being put out, Brother Bilke proposed, and Brother Smudge seconded, the
election of the new aspirant, and the motion being put to the
Guinea-pigs, was received with a unanimous grunt. The Guinea-pig elect
was then admitted. He was classically attired in a pair of slippers and
a collar, and the ceremony of initiation at once commenced. The
candidate was stretched across the lowest desk, face downwards, and in
this position greeted with the flat side of a cricket-bat by the junior
brother present. He was then advanced to the next desk, where a similar
compliment was paid by the next youngest; and so on to the senior
brother present. Half way through the ceremony the new member expressed
a desire to withdraw his candidature, but this motion was negatived by a
large majority. When our reporter left, the ceremony was being repeated
with the round side of the bat. We understand the new Guinea-pig is
keeping his bed to-day after the exciting ceremony of initiation."

This was capital fun, and greatly appreciated by all--even by Stephen,
who knew it was intended to represent his own experience, which,
mercifully, had not been nearly so sore as pictured.

But the next extract was not quite as pleasing.

"Cricket Notice.

"The Alphabet Match will be played on Saturday. The following are the
two elevens [and here the list followed]. Of these twenty-two players,
it is worthy of mention that fourteen are from the Fifth, and only eight
from the Sixth. What is our Sixth coming to?"

This was not at all gratifying to the Sixth Form fellows present. It
was unfortunately true, but they did not at all