ess."

"I'll certainly put on the gloves to-morrow," whispered I to Coleman--to
which he replied by a sympathetic wink, adding:--

"And now I think you had better get ready, more particularly as you
will have to find out 'how to dress _jugged hair_,' as the cookery-books
say".

By dint of almost superhuman exertions I did just contrive to get down
in time for dinner, though my unfortunate "jugged hair," which was
anything but dry, must have presented rather a singular appearance. In
the course of dinner Dr. Mildman told us that we should have the whole
of the next day to ourselves, as he was obliged to go to London on
business, and should not return till the middle of the day following--an
announcement which seemed to afford great satisfaction to his hearers,
despite an attempt made by Cumberland to keep up appearances, by putting
on a look of mournful resignation, which, being imitated by Coleman,
who, as might be expected, rather overdid the thing, failed most
signally. ~28~~

CHAPTER IV -- WHEREIN IS COMMENCED THE ADVENTURE OF THE MACINTOSH, AND
OTHER MATTERS

"How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds,
Makes ill deeds done."

"Come, tailor, let us see't;

Oh! mercy.... What masking stuff is here?

What's this? a sleeve?"

"Disguise, I see; thou art a wickedness
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much."

"A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!"
--Shakspeare.

ON returning to the pupils' room Lawless commenced (to my great delight,
as I thereby enjoyed a complete immunity from his somewhat troublesome
attentions) a full, true, and particular account of the pigeon-match, in
which his friend Clayton had, with unrivalled skill, slain a sufficient
number of victims to furnish forth pies for the supply of the whole
mess during the ensuing fortnight. At length, however, all was said that
could be said, even upon this interesting subject, and the narrator,
casting his eyes around in search of wherewithal to amuse himself,
chanced to espy my new writing-desk, a parting gift from my little
sister Fanny, who, with the self-denial of true affection, had saved up
her pocket-money during many previous months in order to provide funds
for this munificent present.

"Pinafore, is that desk yours?" demanded Lawless.

Not much admiring the _sobriquet_ by which he chose to address me, I did
not feel myself called upon to re