room, where
he remained during the rest of the evening. Oaklands then received a
summons from the Doctor, and, on his return, informed us that (as we had
already heard) Cumberland was to be expelled. He added that Dr. Mildman
intended to take him to town himself the next morning, as he was anxious
to see Cumberland's uncle, who was also his guardian: he would probably,
therefore, not return till the following day, in consequence of which
we should have a whole holiday, and he trusted to us to spend it in a
proper manner, which, as Coleman remarked, proved that he was of a very
confiding disposition indeed, and no mistake.

When we went up to bed Oaklands beckoned me into his room, and, as
soon as he had closed the door, gave me an account (having obtained Dr.
Mildman's permission to do so) of the interview with Spicer. They found
him, it seemed, at his lodgings, preparing for his departure. At first
he took a very high tone, denied the whole thing, and was extremely
blustering and impertinent; but on being confronted with Cumberland, and
~94~~threatened by Dr. Mildman's legal friend with the terrors of the
law, he became thoroughly crestfallen, restored the three-hundred-pound
cheque, and consented, on the payment of fifty pounds, in addition to
the fifty pounds he had already received, to give up all claims upon
Cumberland, whereupon they paid him the money down, made him sign a
paper to the above effect, and left him.

"And so, my dear Frank," said Oaklands, "there is an end of that affair,
and, if it only produces as much effect upon Cumberland as it has
produced upon me, it will read him a lesson he will not forget for many
a long day. I blame myself excessively," he continued, "for my own share
in this matter; if it had not been for my easy, careless way of going
on, this scheme would never have been thought of--nay, I might, perhaps,
have been able to rescue Cumberland from the hands of this sharper; but
in this manner we neglect the opportunities afforded us of doing good,
and--Frank," he continued, with a sudden burst of energy, "I will cure
myself of this abominable indolence." He paused for some minutes in
thought, and then added, "Well, I must not stand here raving at you any
longer; it is getting very late: goodnight, old fellow! I shall be
glad enough to tumble into bed, for I'm as tired as a dog: it really is
astonishing how easily I am knocked up."

The absurdity of this remark, following upon the reso