I mean--was in the fifth form. His subject was
a river, and hers Babylon; but, altering a line or two, it did just as
well. He never guessed I saw him, and thought he had done it famously.
He showed them up, and would have got some noted good mark, but that, by
great good luck, Ethel had made two of her pentameters too short, which
he hadn't the wit to find out, thinking all Norman did must be right. So
he has shown up a girl's verses--isn't that rare?" cried Harry, dancing
on his chair with triumph.

"I hope no one knows they were hers?"

"Bless you, no!" said Harry, who regarded Ethel's attainments as
something contraband. "D'ye think I could tell? No, that's the only
pity, that he can't hear it; but, after all, I don't care for anything
he does, now I know he has shown up a girl's verses."

"Are these verses of poor Ethel's safe at home?"

"Yes, I took care of that. Mind you don't tell anyone, Margaret; I never
told even Norman."

"But all your school-fellows aren't like these? You have Hector
Ernescliffe."

"He's a nice fellow enough, but he is little, and down in the school.
'Twould be making a fourth form of myself to be after him. The fact is,
Margaret, they are a low, ungentlemanly lot just now, about sixth
and upper fifth form," said Harry, lowering his voice into an anxious
confidential tone; "and since Norman has been less amongst them, they've
got worse; and you see, now home is different, and he isn't like what he
was, I'm thrown on them, and I want to get out of it. I didn't know that
was it before, but Richard showed me what set me on thinking of it, and
I see she knew all about it."

"That she did! There is a great deal in what you say, Harry, but you
know she thought nothing would be of real use but changing within.
If you don't get a root of strength in yourself, your ship will be no
better to you than school--there will be idle midshipmen as well as idle
school-boys."

"Yes, I know," said Harry; "but do you think papa will consent? She
would not have minded."

"I can't tell. I should think he would; but if any scheme is to come to
good, it must begin by your telling him of the going out shooting."

Harry sighed. "I'd have done it long ago if she was here," he said. "I
never did anything so bad before without telling, and I don't like it at
all. It seems to come between him and me when I wish him good-night."

"Then, Harry, pray do tell him. You'll have no comfort if you don't."

"I kno