ttle bravado, than anything else. But suddenly he
caught the expression of Russell's face, and instantly said--

"O, I forgot, Edwin; I know you don't like smoking;" and he instantly
flung the cigar over the hedge, being really rather glad to get rid of
it. With the cigar, he seemed to have flung away the affected manner he
displayed just before, and the spirits of all three rose at once.

"It isn't that I don't _like_ smoking only, Eric, but I think it
wrong--for _us_ I mean."

"O, my dear fellow! surely there can't be any harm in it. Why everybody
smokes."

"It may be all very well for men, although I'm not so sure of that. But,
at any rate, it's wrong and ridiculous in boys. You know yourself what
harm it does in every way."

"O, it's a mere school rule against it. How can it be wrong? Why, I even
know clergymen who smoke."

Montagu laughed. "Well, clergymen ain't immaculate," said he; "but I
never met a man yet who didn't tell you that he was _sorry_ he'd
acquired the habit."

"I'm sure you won't thank that rascally cousin of mine for having taught
you," said Russell; "but seriously, isn't it a very moping way of
spending the afternoon, to go and lie down behind some hay-stack, or in
some frowsy tumble-down barn, as you smokers do, instead of playing
racquets or football?"

"O, it's pleasant enough sometimes," said Eric, speaking rather against
his own convictions.

"As for me, I've nearly left it off," said Montagu, "and I think Rose
convinced me that it was a mistake. Not that he knows that I ever did
smoke; I should be precious sorry if he did, for I know how he despises
it in boys. Were you in school the other day when he caught Pietrie and
Brooking?"

"No."

"Well, when Brooking went up to have his exercise corrected, Rose smelt
that he had been smoking, and charged him with it. Brooking stoutly
denied it, but after he had told the most robust lies, Rose made him
empty his pockets, and there, sure enough, were a pipe and a cigar-case
half full! You _should_ have heard how Rose thundered and lightened at
him for his lying, and then sent him to the Doctor. I never saw him so
terrific before."

"You don't mean to say you were convinced it was wrong because Brooking
was caught, and told lies--do you? _Non sequitur_."

"Stop--not so fast." Very soon after Rose twigged Pietrie, who at once
confessed, and was caned. I happened to be in the library when Rose sent
for him, and Pietrie said mildly that