t big-side Hare and Hounds, and lost our
way."

"Hah! you couldn't keep up, I suppose?"

"Well, sir," said East, stepping out, and not liking that the Doctor
should think lightly of his running powers, "we got round Barby all
right, but then--"

"Why, what a state you're in, my boy!" interrupted the Doctor, as the
pitiful condition of East's garments was fully revealed to him.

"That's the fall I got, sir, in the road," said East, looking down at
himself; "the Old Pig came by--"

"The what?" said the Doctor.

"Oxford coach, sir," explained Hall.

"Hah! yes, the Regulator," said the Doctor.

"And I tumbled on my face, trying to get up behind," went on East.

"You're not hurt, I hope?" said the Doctor.

"Oh, no, sir."

"Well, now, run up-stairs, all three of you, and get clean things on,
and then tell the housekeeper to give you some tea. You're too young
to try such long runs. Let Warner know I've seen you. Good-night."

"Good-night, sir." And away scuttled the three boys in high glee.

"What a brick, not to give us even twenty lines to learn!" said the
Tadpole, as they reached their bedroom; and in half an hour afterward
they were sitting by the fire in the housekeeper's room at a sumptuous
tea, with cold meat, "twice as good a grub as we should have got in
the hall," as the Tadpole remarked with a grin, his mouth full of
buttered toast. All their grievances were forgotten, and they were
resolving to go out the first big-side next half, and thinking Hare
and Hounds the most delightful of games.

LAST DAYS.

A day or two afterward the great passage outside the bedrooms was
cleared of the boxes and portmanteaus, which went down to be packed by
the matron, and great games of chariot-racing, and cock-fighting, and
bolstering[23] went on in the vacant space, the sure sign of a closing
half-year.

[23] #Bolstering#: fights with pillows and bolsters.

Then came the making up of parties for the journey home, and Tom
joined a party who were to hire a coach, and post with four horses to
Oxford.

Then the last Saturday on which the Doctor came round to each form to
give out the prizes, and hear the masters' last report of how they and
their charges had been conducting themselves; and Tom, to his huge
delight, was praised, and got his remove into the lower fourth, in
which all his School-house friends were.

On the next Tuesday morning, at four o'clock, hot coffee was going on
in the housekeeper's an