e
thought of it the less he liked it. "It must be getting near second
calling-over," thinks he. Keeper smokes on stolidly. "If he takes me up,
I shall be flogged safe enough. I can't sit here all night. Wonder if
he'll rise at silver.

"I say, keeper," said he meekly, "let me go for two bob?"

"Not for twenty neither," grunts his persecutor.

And so they sat on till long past second calling-over, and the sun came
slanting in through the willow-branches, and telling of locking-up near
at hand.

"I'm coming down, keeper," said Tom at last with a sigh, fairly tired
out. "Now what are you going to do?"

"Walk 'ee up to School, and give 'ee over to the Doctor; them's my
orders," says Velveteens, knocking the ashes out of his fourth pipe, and
standing up and shaking himself.

"Very good," said Tom; "but hands off, you know. I'll go with you
quietly, so no collaring or that sort of thing."

Keeper looked at him a minute--"Werry good," said he at last; and so Tom
descended, and wended his way drearily by the side of the keeper up to
the School-house, where they arrived just at locking-up. As they passed
the School-gates, the Tadpole and several others who were standing there
caught the state of things, and rushed out, crying "Rescue!" but Tom
shook his head, so they only followed to the Doctor's gate, and went
back sorely puzzled.

How changed and stern the Doctor seemed from the last time that Tom was
up there, as the keeper told the story, not omitting to state how Tom
had called him blackguard names. "Indeed, sir," broke in the culprit,
"it was only Velveteens." The Doctor only asked one question.

"You know the rule about the banks, Brown?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then wait for me to-morrow, after first lesson."

"I thought so," muttered Tom.

"And about the rod, sir?" went on the keeper; "Master's told we as we
might have all the rods--"

"Oh, please, sir," broke in Tom, "the rod isn't mine." The Doctor looked
puzzled, but the keeper, who was a good-hearted fellow, and melted at
Tom's evident distress, gave up his claim. Tom was flogged next
morning, and a few days afterwards met Velveteens, and presented him
with half-a-crown for giving up the rod claim, and they became sworn
friends; and I regret to say that Tom had many more fish from under the
willow that may-fly season, and was never caught again by Velveteens.

It wasn't three weeks before Tom, and now East by his side, were again
in the awful presence. Th