eace.

"Never mind, old chap," whispered Mercer. "Rabbits to-night, and some
day such a licking for old Eely and Dicksee."

The thoughts of the expedition that night were comforting, and I tried
to think of the High Pines and the sandy slope with the holes where I
had often seen the rabbits pop in and out, but my head ached all the
same; and in spite of our half-hour in the play-field before dinner, I
had no appetite. During the afternoon, when my time came to go up to
Mr Hasnip's desk, I felt more stupid than ever, and on casting my eyes
sideways in search of a flying thought, there was Mr Rebble watching me
intently.

This made me more confused, and my next answer more blundering, so that
I was at last sent back to my desk in greater disgrace than ever, to
find Mercer, who was always constructing something, boring the edge of
his desk with a penknife, so as to make powder holes for a slate pencil
cannon.

"Catching it again?" he said.

"Yes," I replied dolefully.

"Didn't say you were to stop in and study, did he?"

"No, he didn't say that."

"Oh, that's all right, then."

"But it isn't all right. He scolded me horribly."

"Pooh! what of that? Every boy gets scolded. Never mind. I say, I
daresay we shall get a whole lot of rabbits. How would it be to ask
cook to make us a rabbit pie of two of them."

"Nonsense!"

"Oh, would it be? We could keep it up in the bin, and go and have jolly
feeds."

"Keep it up there, along with that poison stuff and nasty-smelling
skins! Ugh!"

"Well, it would be queer perhaps. I didn't think of that."

"Mr Rebble's looking at you two," whispered the boy nearest, and we
hurriedly went on with our work, but not for long. Mercer was too full
of the coming expedition, and soon began whispering again.

"But how are we to get away?" I said. "Some one is sure to see us."

"Oh, that's easy enough," he whispered. "There's going to be a bit of a
match to-night."

"But suppose they want us to field?"

"Then they'll want, for they will not be able to find us. You leave it
to me."

That was a long, dreary afternoon, and tea-time seemed as if it would
never arrive. When it did come round, though, with the cool air of
evening my headache began to go off, and as I grew better, the
excitement of the coming expedition, and the thoughts of how we were
going to elude the notice of the other boys, completed the cure.

We had half an hour's walk before us, to reach t