he said he was sure the rooks all had calling-over or
prayers, or something of that sort, when the locking-up bell rang?
Well, I declare," said Arthur, looking up seriously into Tom's
laughing eyes, "I do think he was right. Since I've been lying here,
I've watched them every night; and do you know, they really do come
and perch, all of them, just about locking-up time; and then first
there's a regular chorus of caws, and then they stop a bit, and one
old fellow, or perhaps two or three in different trees, caw solos, and
then off they all go again, fluttering about and cawing anyhow till
they roost."

"I wonder if the old blackies[9] do talk," said Tom, looking up at
them. "How they must abuse me and East, and pray for the Doctor for
stopping the singing!"

[9] #Blackies#: rooks.

"There! look, look!" cried Arthur, "don't you see the old fellow
without a tail coming up? Martin used to call him the 'clerk.'[10] He
can't steer himself. You never saw such fun as he is in a high wind,
when he can't steer himself home, and gets carried right past the
trees, and has to bear up again and again before he can perch."

[10] #Clerk#: a clergyman's assistant--he reads the responses
in the English Church service.

The locking-up bell began to toll, and the two boys were silent, and
listened to it. The sound soon carried Tom off to the river and the
woods, and he began to go over in his mind the many occasions on which
he had heard that toll coming faintly down the breeze, and had to pack
his rod in a hurry, and make a run for it, to get in before the gates
were shut. He was aroused with a start from his memories by Arthur's
voice, gentle and weak from his late illness.

"Tom, will you be angry if I talk to you very seriously?"

"No, dear old boy, not I, but aren't you faint, Arthur, or ill? What
can I get you? Don't say anything to hurt yourself now--you are very
weak; let me come up again."

"No, no, I sha'n't hurt myself; I'd sooner speak to you now, if you
don't mind. I've asked Mary to tell the Doctor that you are with me,
so you needn't go down to calling-over; and I mayn't have another
chance, for I shall most likely have to go home for change of air to
get well, and mayn't come back this half."

"Oh, do you think you must go away before the end of the half? I'm so
sorry. It's more than five weeks yet to the holidays, and all the
fifth-form examinations, and half the cricket-matches to come yet. And
wh