r last conversation about
swearing. Indeed, conscious of failure, he felt sometimes uneasy in
Russell's company.

He faltered, and answered humbly, "I hope you will never drop _me_,
Edwin, however bad I get? But I particularly want to speak to
you to-day."

In an instant Russell had twined his arm in Eric's, as they turned
towards Fort Island; and Eric, with an effort, was just going to begin,
when they heard Montagu's voice calling after them--

"I say, you fellows, where are you off to! may I come with you?"

"O yes, Monty, do," said Russell, "It will be quite like old times; now
that my cousin Horace has got hold of Eric, we have to sing 'When shall
we three meet again?'"

Russell only spoke in fun; but, unintentionally, his words jarred in
Eric's heart. He was silent, and answered in monosyllables, so the walk
was provokingly dull. At last they reached Fort Island, and sat down by
the ruined chapel looking on the sea.

"Why what's the row with you, old boy," said Montagu, playfully shaking
Eric by the shoulder, "you're as silent as Zimmerman on Solitude, and as
doleful as Harvey on the Tombs. I expect you've been going through a
select course of Blair's Grave, Young's Night Thoughts, and Drelincourt
on Death."

To his surprise Eric's head was still bent, and, at last, he heard a
deep suppressed sigh.

"My dear child, what is the matter with you?" said Russell,
affectionately taking his hand, "surely you're not offended at my
nonsense?"

Eric had not liked to speak while Montagu was by, but now he gulped down
his rising emotion, and briefly told them of Bull's vile words the night
before. They listened in silence.

"I knew it must come, Eric," said Russell at last, "and I am so sorry
you didn't speak at the time."

"Do the fellows ever talk in that way in either of your dormitories?"
asked Eric.

"No," said Russell.

"Very little," said Montagu.

A pause followed, during which all three plucked the grass and looked
away.

"Let me tell you," said Russell solemnly; "my father (he is dead now you
know, Eric), when I was sent to school, warned me of this kind of thing.
I had been brought up in utter ignorance of such coarse knowledge as is
forced upon one here, and with my reminiscences of home, I could not
bear even that much of it which was impossible to avoid. But the very
first time such talk was begun in my dormitory I spoke out. What I said
I don't know, but I felt as if I was trampling on a s