ooking out for a chum like you ever since
I came here, and we'll have fine times together, my boy! But, come
along now, and put your hands under the pump--the cold water will pain
you at first, but it will do a world of good, and to-morrow the hands'll
feel all right."

So saying, Tom, catching hold of my arm, lugged me off down-stairs, and
through a lot of mysterious passages and dark ways, to the wash-house at
the back of the kitchen again. Arrived here, he pumped away for a good
half-hour on my hands, in spite of all my entreaties to the contrary;
but, at the end of that time, although they were almost benumbed, the
pain from the Doctor's pandies had passed away, and the palms, which had
been previously almost rigid, had regained their flexibility.

"There, that's enough for the present," said Tom, quite out of breath
with his exertions at the pump-handle, kindly taking out his pocket-
handkerchief and gently dabbing my hands with it until they were dry.
"I think they'll do now, and won't pain you to-morrow; but you must try,
old fellow, and avoid getting another taste of the Doctor's ruler till
they're a bit more recovered."

At that moment the gong struck up again its ringing, buzzing, drumming
sound, and I pricked up my ears, in the vain hope of having a meal at
last.

"Is that for supper?" I asked him, recollecting well what it had rung
for before.

"Oh no," answered Tom, "we never get anything else after tea here of an
evening. That's the call to go to sleep: `Early to bed, early to rise,'
you know, Martin! I didn't think it was so late; look sharp and follow
me, and I'll show you the way to the dormitories. There are two of
them, and I don't know which room you'll be sent to--I hope mine, but
we'll soon see, as `Smiley' arranges all that."

Passing back through the same passages again by which we had descended
from the eating-room--or "refectory," as Dr Hellyer styled that bare
apartment--and up a second flight of stairs beyond, Tom leading the way,
we finally reached a long chamber which must have stretched along the
whole front of the house, immediately above the room devoted to meals.

Some twenty beds were ranged down the length of this dormitory, in the
same way as is customary in a hospital ward, some of them already
occupied by boys who had quietly undressed, while the rest of the
fellows were hurriedly pulling off their clothes and preparing their
toilets for the night.

At the door of t