This makes the second week it has poured down, with not a single
bright day all the time."

"It would not be a bad plan if it only rained at night, and not during
the day, for play and work could go on quite nicely then," remarked
Lynch, who was copying out his twenty lines.

"It is rather fortunate for you and Ross, that all this rain has come
during your punishment month."

"Yes," chimed in Leslie, "with the exception of the daily task of
twenty lines, our last fortnight has not been much of a punishment,
for I assure you I have had no desire to go out."

"Always your fortune," said Hall, who was manifestly in an ill humour;
"now, if I had been punished instead of you, the weather would have
been a marvel of fineness, sunny all day and starry all night."

"Well, don't get cross, Hall, the holidays will soon be here; another
ten days, and good-bye books, slates, and masters."

"Yes, there is some consolation in that," said Hall; "but you two,
Ross and Lynch, just step here and see how it comes down."

"One moment," said Lynch, "I am finishing my last line; there, the
doctor ought to give me three good marks, and set me up as an example
of clever penmanship before the whole school."

"How quick you write, Johnnie," said Leslie, looking up from his task,
as his friend waved his paper round his head, "here I have six more
lines to copy."

"Courage, my dear fellow, courage; remember this is our last day, our
punishment is now ended."

"Yes, I am happy to say."

"I already feel a new man," said Lynch, stretching himself; "no longer
a slave, bound hand and foot in fetters, I am free as the winds."

"True," said Leslie, a minute after laying down his pen, "my
punishment is over, I _am_ happy."

"Yes, we have taken all our physic, and are now free from the doctor's
rule. When will you have another lark, Leslie?"

"Never again," said Leslie, folding up his paper.

How confidently he spoke.

"Now, then, what is there to be seen," exclaimed Lynch, approaching
the group at the window.

"Why, come and inform us what prospect we have of playing our game of
cricket to-morrow," said Hall.

"Oh, my! how it rains!"

"Yes, it does come down," said Leslie.

"You will have to play out your game under umbrellas, I fear," said
Lynch.

"Yes, and with pattens on the feet."

"Why, if it keeps on much longer, we shall be able to bathe in the
playground; just look at the pools," said one boy.

"Look at the river; ho