Jeffreys."

Jonah made a face at his mother, as much as to say, "I don't admire your
choice," and then, with a half-nod at Jeffreys, said,--

"Ah, how are you?"

"Jonah and I always dine at twelve, Mr Jeffreys," said Mrs Trimble,
over whom the prospect of the afternoon's nap was beginning to cast a
balmy sense of ease. "You two young men will be good friends, I hope,
and look well after the boys."

"More than you do," said the undutiful Jonah; "they've been doing just
as they please the last month."

"It's a pity, Jonah, you never found fault with that before."

"What's the use of finding fault? No end to it when you once begin."

"Well," observed the easy-going matron, "you two will have to see I
don't have occasion to find fault with you."

Jonah laughed, and asked Jeffreys to cut him a slice of bread.

Presently Mrs Trimble quitted the festive board, and the two ushers
were left together.

"Lucky for you," said young Trimble, "you got hold of ma and pinned her
down to taking you on on the spot. What's she going to pay you?"

The question did not altogether please the new assistant, but he was
anxious not to come across his colleague too early in their
acquaintanceship.

"She pays me nothing the first month. After that, if I suit, I'm to
have a pound a month."

"If you suit? I suppose you know that depends on whether I like you or
not?"

"I hope not," blurted out Jeffreys--"that is," added he, seeing his
mistake, "I hope we shall _get_ on well together."

"Depends," said Trimble. "I may as well tell you at once I hate stuck-
uppedness (this was a compound word worthy of a young schoolmaster). If
you're that sort you'd better cry off at once. If you can do your work
without giving yourself airs, I shall let you alone."

Jeffreys was strongly tempted after this candid avowal to take the
youthful snob's advice and cry off. But the memory of yesterday's
miserable experiences restrained him. He therefore replied, with as
little contempt as he was able to put into the words,--

"Thanks."

Trimble's quick ear detected the ill-disguised scorn of the reply. "You
needn't try on that sort of talk," said he; "I can tell you plump, it
won't do. You needn't think because ma took you on for the asking,
you're going to turn up your nose at the place!"

"I don't think so," said Jeffreys, struggling hard with himself. "How
many boys are there here?"

"Forty-four. Are you anything of a teacher?