ending on them to rouse them in
time for morning chapel.

The old fags smiled to see the feverish haste with which the new ones
flung themselves into their garments, and started each on his rousing
mission. These veterans had had their day of the same sort of thing.
Now they knew better, and as long as they could continue occasionally to
be found by their seniors with a duster in their hands, or toasting a
piece of bread before the fire, the "new brooms" could be left to do all
the other work, for which the old ones reaped the credit.

Heathcote, with very dismal forebodings, knocked at Pledge's door.

"It's time to get up, please," said he.

"All right. Fetch me some hot water, will you? and brush my lace
boots."

Heathcote, as he started off to fetch the water, thought that the voice
of his new master was certainly not as repulsive as he had been led by
his numerous sympathisers to expect.

"However," said he to himself, "you can't always judge of a fellow by
his voice."

Which was very true, as he found immediately afterwards, when, as he was
kneeling down at the tap, trying to coax the last few drops of hot water
into his can, a voice behind him said--

"Look sharp, you fellow, don't drink it all up," and he looked up and
saw Dick, and Dick's can, bound on the same errand as his own.

"Hallo," he said, "you won't find much left."

"You'll have to give me some of yours then," said Dick.

"I can't, I've only got half a can-full as it is."

"But Cresswell sent me, I tell you."

"And Pledge sent me."

"Pooh! He doesn't matter. He's a beast. Come, go halves, old man."

Of course Heathcote went halves, and enquired as he did so whether Dick
had got any boots to clean.

"I've put the young 'un on to that," said Dick, rather grandly. "I left
him crying on them just now."

"How many fags has Cresswell got?"

"Us two," said Dick, "at least I've not seen any more."

"I believe I'm the only one Pledge has got."

"Poor beggar! Thanks, Georgie. Get next to me at chapel."

And the two friends went each his own way.

Pledge seemed, on the whole, agreeably surprised to get as much as a
quarter of a can of hot water; and Heathcote, as he polished up the lace
boots, felt he had begun well. His new master said little or nothing to
him, as he put the study tidy, arranged the books, and got out the cup
and saucer and coffee-pot ready for the senior's breakfast.

"Is there anything else?" he asked as