s much
the same--he kept aloof from Norman, and threw himself more into the
opposite faction, by whom he was shielded from all punishment, except
what they chose themselves to inflict on him.

Norman's post as head of the school was rendered more difficult by the
departure of his friend Cheviot, who had always upheld his authority;
Harvey Anderson did not openly transgress, for he had a character to
maintain, but it was well known throughout the school that there was a
wide difference between the boys, and that Anderson thought it absurd,
superfluous, and troublesome in May not to wink at abuses which appeared
to be licensed by long standing. When Edward Anderson, Axworthy, and
their set, broke through rules, it was with the understanding that the
second boy in the school would support them, if he durst.

The summer and the cricket season brought the battle of Ballhatchet's
house to issue. The cricket ground was the field close to it, and
for the last two or three years there had been a frequent custom of
despatching juniors to his house for tarts and ginger-beer bottles.
Norman knew of instances last year in which this had led to serious
mischief, and had made up his mind that, at whatever loss of popularity,
it was his duty to put a stop to the practice.

He was an ardent cricketer himself, and though the game did not, in
anticipation, seem to him to have all the charms of last year, he
entered into it with full zest when once engaged. But his eye was on all
parts of the field, and especially on the corner by the bridge, and the
boys knew him well enough to attempt nothing unlawful within the range
of that glance. However, the constant vigilance was a strain too great
to be always kept up, and he had reason to believe he was eluded more
than once.

At last came a capture, something like that of Tom, one which he could
not have well avoided making. The victim was George Larkins, the son
of a clergyman in the neighbourhood, a wild, merry varlet, who got into
mischief rather for the sake of the fun than from any bad disposition.

His look of consternation was exaggerated into a most comical
caricature, in order to hide how much of it was real.

"So you are at that trick, Larkins."

"There! that bet is lost!" exclaimed Larkins. "I laid Hill half-a-crown
that you would not see me when you were mooning over your verses!"

"Well, I have seen you. And now--"

"Come, you would not thrash a fellow when you have just l