t Moossy was a broken-spirited man, in whom there was no
fight, who held a post he was not fit for, and held it to get a poor
living for himself and one who was dearer to him than his own life. So
helpless was he, and so timid, that there were times when the boys grew
weary of their teasing and disorder, and condescended to repeat a verb
in order to pass the time.

When the spring was in their blood--for, like all young animals, they
felt its stirring--then there were wonderful scenes in Moossy's
class-room. He dared not stand in those days between two forms, with his
face to the one and his back to the other, because of the elastic
catapults and the sharp little paper bullets, which, in spite of his
long hair, would always find out his ears; and if he turned round to
face the battery, the other form promptly unmasked theirs, and between
the two he was driven to the end of the room; and then, in his very
presence, without a pretence of concealment, the two forms would settle
their differences, while, in guttural and uncultured German, Moossy
prayed for peace. Times there were, I am sorry to say, when at the sting
of the bullet Moossy said bad words, and although they were in German,
the boys knew that it was swearing, and Speug's voice would be loudest
in horror.

[Illustration: "THOMAS JOHN NEXT INSTANT WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR."]

"Mercy on us, lads! this is awful language to hear in the Seminary! If
the Town Council gets word of this, there'll be a fine stramish. For
masel'," Speug would conclude piously, "I'm perfectly ashamed." And as
that accomplished young gentleman had acquired in the stables a wealth
of profanity which was the amazement of the school, his protest had all
the more weight. Poor Moossy would apologise for what he had said, and
beseech the school neither to say it themselves nor to tell what they
had heard; and for days afterwards Speug would be warning Thomas John
that if he, Speug--censor of morals--caught him cursing and swearing
like Moossy, he would duck him in the lake, and afterwards bring him
before the Lord Provost and magistrates.

There was no end to the devices of the Seminary for enjoying themselves
and tormenting Moossy; and had it not been for Nestie, who had some
reserves of taste, the fun would have been much more curious. As it was,
Moossy never knew when he might not light upon a frog, till it seemed as
if the class-room for modern languages were the chosen home for the
repti