c, but I think it wrong--
for _us_ I mean."

"Oh, my dear fellow! surely there can't be any harm in it. Why,
everybody smokes."

"It may be all very well for men, although I'm not so sure of that.
But, at any rate, it does nothing but harm to growing boys. You know
yourself what harm it does in every way."

"Oh, it's a mere school rule against it. How can it be wrong? Why, I
even know clergymen who smoke."

Montagu laughed. "Well, clergymen ain't immaculate," said he; "but I
have seldom met a man yet who didn't tell you that he was _sorry_ he'd
acquired the habit."

"I'm sure you won't thank that rascally cousin of mine for having taught
you," said Russell; "but seriously, isn't it a very moping way of
spending the afternoon, to go and lie down behind some haystack, or in
some frowsy tumble-down barn, as you smokers do, instead of playing
racquets or football?"

"Oh, it's pleasant enough sometimes," said Eric, speaking rather against
his own convictions.

"As for me, I've pretty nearly left it off," said Montagu, "and I think
Rose convinced me that it was a mistake. Not that he knows that I ever
did smoke. I should be precious sorry if he did, for I know how he
despises it in boys. Were you in school the other day when he caught
Pietrie and Booking?"

"No."

"Well, when Booking went up to have his exercise corrected, Rose smelt
that he had been smoking, and charged him with it. Booking stoutly
denied it, but after he had told the most robust lies, Rose made him
empty his pockets, and there, sure enough, were a pipe and a cigar-case
half full! You _should_ have heard how Rose thundered and lightened at
him for his lying, and then sent him to the Doctor. I never saw him so
terrific before."

"You don't mean to say you were convinced it was wrong because Booking
was caught, and told lies--do you? _Non sequitur_."

"Stop--not so fast. Very soon after Rose twigged Pietrie, who at once
confessed, and was caned. I happened to be in the library when Rose
sent for him, and Pietrie said mildly that `he didn't see the harm of
it.' Rose smiled in his kind way, and said, `Don't see the _harm_ of
it! Do you see any good in it?'

"`No, sir.'

"`Well, isn't it forbidden?'

"`Yes, sir.'

"`And doesn't it waste your money?'

"`Yes, sir.'

"`And tempt you to break rules, and tell lies to screen yourself?'

"`Yes, sir,' said Pietrie, looking unusually crestfallen.

"`And don't your parents disapp