to do
that, and he so kind to you. Walked all the way from Moncton. Bless the
boy, how tired and hungry you must be! Sit down, young Philip
Mornington, and get your dinner with old Philip Mornington; and we will
talk over these matters by and by.'

"Gladly I accepted the dear old gentleman's hearty invitation. I had
not tasted food since early dawn, and was so outrageously hungry and
eat with such a right good will, that he often stopped and laughed
heartily at my voracity.

"'Well done, Philip! Don't be ashamed: hold in your plate for another
slice of beef. Thirty miles of hard walking at this season of the year,
may well give a boy of sixteen, strong and healthy like you, a good
appetite.'

"After the cloth was drawn, and the old gentleman had refreshed me with
a couple of glasses of excellent wine, obedient to his request I
related to him my adventure with Theophilus Moncton in the park, and
its unfortunate results.

"Instead of blaming me, the whole affair seemed greatly to amuse the
hearty old man. He fell back in his chair, and chuckled and laughed
until he declared that his sides ached.

"'And was it for punishing that arrogant puppy as he deserved, that Sir
Alexander cast you, my fine fellow, from his favour?'

"'He might have forgiven that. It was for refusing so positively his
commands, in not asking young Moncton's pardon.'

"'If you had obeyed him in this instance, Philip, you would have
forfeited my good opinion for ever, and would have deserved to have
been kicked by Sir Alexander's lackeys for your meanness. Don't look so
cast down, boy. I honour you for your self-respect and independence.
You have other friends besides Sir Alexander Moncton, who will not
forsake you for taking your own part like a man. You shall go to school
yet--ay, and become the head scholar in Dr. Trimmer's head class, and
finish your education at Oxford, or my name is not Philip Mornington.'

"How well did this excellent, warm-hearted, generous man perform his
promise; how ill I profited by the education he gave me, and the wealth
he bequeathed to me at his death, the subsequent portion of my history
will reveal.

"I went to school at the end of the vacation, but as a day-boarder; Mr.
Mornington, having told me to consider his house as my future home.

"A boy who came from our village to Dr. Trimmer's school, told me that
Sir Alexander's passion soon cooled, and he rode over to the Lodge a
week after I left, to inquire