lass during the nineteenth century.
Consequently it had neither money nor traditions. The lack of the
former was a severe handicap and could only result in the scandalous
underpayment of the masters and the abominable necessity of sending
round the hat, which of course returned half empty, whenever the school
needed a new building or playing-field. The absence of the latter was
more wholesome. Everyone had a hearty contempt for Eton and Harrow and
Winchester and considered that the fuss made about them was ridiculous.
"We could have damped the lot at cricket last summer" was the general
opinion, and it may have been correct, so great had Fermor been. How
far this attitude was based on mere jealousy, and how far it
represented a sound distrust of top-hats, side, and antiquated customs,
it would be difficult to decide. As a result of their abhorrence for
tradition, Elfrey had no organised system of fagging, and each house
had established its own regime.

At Berney's any prefect or member of the Sixth could, theoretically,
command the services of anyone who had not a study; but this right was
little used, and it was generally felt that too great assumption on the
part of a Sixth would lead to unpopularity.

Prefects, however, as opposed to Sixths, were accustomed to take unto
themselves a small boy and give him the use of their study on the
condition that he dusted it, cleaned their cups and plates, and made
himself generally useful. Although this office received the derogatory
title of 'being study-slut,' it was, on the whole, rather sought after,
as only the more attractive and popular members of the workroom were
chosen for the position.

Martin was therefore considerably surprised when one of the prefects,
called Leopard, adopted him in the fourth week of term. Leopard was a
genuine Olympian. He had played with distinction in the historic
Elfreyan eleven of last summer: he was school sports champion: he had
played rackets for Elfrey at Queen's Club: and now he was being tried
as wing three-quarter in the rugger team. By specialising in science
he had scraped into a Sixth, and he was intending to continue his
athletic, if not his scientific, career at Cambridge. This ambition,
however, necessitated the study of Greek, and the study of Greek
necessitated for a scientist laborious days. Leopard had discovered
that Martin was in the Lower Fifth and could write Greek prose without
howlers. He seemed also to b