re gliding along the side quadrangle towards the Dean's
staircase. A shout arose that the enemy was up, but little heed
was paid to it by the greater number. Then another figure passed
from the Dean's staircase to the porter's lodge. Those of the men
who had any sense left saw that it was time to quit, and, after
warning the rest, went off towards their rooms. Tom, on his way
to his staircase, caught sight of a figure seated in a remote
corner of the inner quadrangle, and made for it, impelled by
natural curiosity. He found Drysdale seated on the ground with
several silver tankards by his side, employed to the best of his
powers in digging a hole with one of the college carving-knives.

"Halloa, Drysdale! what are you up to?" he shouted, laying his
hand on his shoulder.

"Providing for posterity," replied Drysdale, gravely, without
looking up.

"What the deuce do you mean? Don't be such an ass. The Dean will
be out in a minute. Get up and come along."

"I tell you, old fellow," said Drysdale, somewhat inarticulately,
and driving his knife into the ground again, "the dons are going
to spout the college plate. So I am burying these articles for
poshterity--"

"Hang posterity," said Tom; "come along directly, or you'll be
caught and rusticated."

"Go to bed, Brown--you're drunk, Brown," replied Drysdale,
continuing his work, and striking the carving-knife into the
ground so close to his own thigh that it made Tom shudder.

"Here they are then," he cried the next moment, seizing Drysdale
by the arm, as a rush of men came through the passage into the
quadrangle, shouting and tumbling along, and making in small
groups for the different stair-cases. The Dean and two of the
tutors followed, and the porter bearing a lantern. There was no
time to be lost; so Tom, after one more struggle to pull Drysdale
up and hurry him off, gave it up, and leaving him to his fate,
ran across to his own staircase.

For the next half-hour the Dean and his party patrolled the
college, and succeeded at the last in restoring order, though not
without some undignified and disagreeable passages. The lights on
the staircases, which generally burnt all night, were of course
put out as they approached. On the first staircase which they
stormed, the porter's lantern was knocked out of his hand by an
unseen adversary, and the light put out on the bottom stairs. On
the first landing the bursar trod on a small terrier belonging to
a fast freshman