is appearance, if that could be said to appear which
was hardly discernible in the dim light which came through the half-open
door. Hamilton begged one of the boys with him to fetch a light, and
taking advantage of the momentary lull, he called out, "Is this Bedlam,
gentlemen? You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! What's the matter,
Mortimer?"

"Oh!" replied Ferrers, "they've been teasing his little brother,
and he can't abide it."

"I only mean to say, that Louis shan't be plagued in this manner,"
cried Reginald, passionately; "and you know if the others were not
here you wouldn't dare to do it, you bully!"

"For shame, Mortimer," said Hamilton, decidedly; and coming up to
Reginald he drew him a little aside, not without a little resistance
on Reginald's part--"What's the matter, Mortimer?"

"Matter! why that they are doing all they can to hinder Louis from
knowing his lessons to-morrow. I won't stand it. He has borne enough
of it, and patiently too."

"But is that any reason you should forget that you are a gentleman?"
said Hamilton.

"My book is here, dear Reginald," said Louis, touching his brother's
shoulder.

Reginald darted a fierce glance at Ferrers, but not being able to
substantiate an accusation against him, remained silent, and, under
the eye of Hamilton and his friend Trevannion, the remainder of the
evening passed in a way more befitting the high places in the school
which the young gentlemen held; but Louis had been so much interrupted,
and was so much excited and unsettled by the noise and unwonted scenes,
that when Dr. Wilkinson came at nine to read prayers, he had hardly
prepared one of his lessons for the next day.

CHAPTER II.

Louis soon made himself a universal favorite among his school-fellows;
and, though he was pronounced by some to be a "softy," and by
others honored by the equally comprehensive and euphonious titles
of "spooney" and "muff," there were few who were not won by his gentle
good-nature, and the uniform good temper, and even playfulness, with
which he bore the immoderate quizzing that fell to his lot, as a new
boarder arrived in the middle of the half-year. If there were an errand
to be run among the seniors, it was, "Louis Mortimer, will you get me
this or that?" if a dunce wanted helping, Louis was sure to be applied
to, with the certainty in both cases that the requests would be complied
with, though they might, as was too often the case, interfere with his