great delight of the spectators, in Garston nearly tearing his
nightshirt off his back by catching it on a broken bedstead, while the
other competitor had kicked his toe against an iron dumb-bell, and
finished the race by dancing a one-legged hornpipe in the middle of the
course, while his opponent won "hands down."

"I say," remarked Rosher, "why shouldn't we have proper sports, with a
proper list of events and prizes?"

"Who'll give the prizes?" asked Teal.

"Oh, anybody! Look here. I vote we have sports to-morrow night before
old Skeat comes back. Hands up, those who are agreeable! To the
contrary!--none. Very well, it's carried!"

"But how about prizes?" persisted Teal, who was of rather a mercenary
disposition.

"There needn't be any proper prizes," answered Rosher; "we can give the
winners anything."

"Give 'em lines," suggested Garston.

"No; shut up, Garston. Everybody must give something. I'll offer a
brass match-box, shaped like a pig."

"No, you won't," interrupted Teal. "It's mine; you borrowed it a week
ago, and never gave it me back."

"Did I? Well, I'll tell you what, I'll offer a photograph of my
brother; the frame's worth something. Now, what'll you give, Garston?"

Garston offered a small pocket-mirror. Jack Fenleigh a bone
collar-stud, while a boy named Hamond promised what was vaguely
described as "part of a musical box," and which afterwards turned out
to be the small revolving barrel, the only fragment of the instrument
which remained.

Prizes having been secured, the next thing was to arrange competitions
in which to win them; and in doing this, the committee were obliged to
keep in view the peculiar nature and limitations of the ground at their
disposal. It was no good Hamond's clamouring for a pole jump, or Teal
suggesting putting the weight. Jack's proposal of a sack race in
bolster cases was, for a moment, entertained as a good idea; then it
was suddenly remembered that the bolsters had no cases, and so that
project fell through.

One by one the events were decided on. Rosher promised to draw up a
programme, and insisted that after every boy's name some distinguishing
colours should appear, as on a proper sports list, and that competitors
were to arrange their costumes accordingly.

"When shall it come off?" asked Garston.

"Oh, to-morrow, after the masters have all gone in to supper. Now,
we've been planning long enough; good-night."

The occupants of the L