door, broach another bottle of beer, and hand over the old ham-knuckle
to the searching of his old friend's pocket-knife.

"Ah, you greedy vagabonds," said East, with his mouth full; "I knew
there was something going on when I saw you cut off out of Hall so quick
with your suppers. What a stunning tap, Tom! you are a wunner for
bottling the swipes."

"I've had practice enough for the sixth in my time, and it's hard if I
haven't picked up a wrinkle or two for my own benefit."

"Well, old Madman, how goes the birds'-nesting campaign? How's Howlett?
I expect the young rooks'll be out in another fortnight, and then my
turn comes."

"There'll be no young rooks fit for pies for a month yet; shows how much
you know about it," rejoined Martin, who, though very good friends with
East, regarded him with considerable suspicion for his propensity to
practical jokes.

"Scud knows nothing and cares for nothing but grub and mischief," said
Tom; "but young rook pie, specially when you've had to climb for them,
is very pretty eating. However, I say, Scud, we're all going after a
hawk's nest to-morrow, in Caldecott's Spinney; and if you'll come and
behave yourself, we'll have a stunning climb."

"And a bathe in Aganippe. Hooray! I'm your man!"

"No, no; no bathing in Aganippe; that's where our betters go."

"Well, well, never mind. I'm for the hawk's nest and anything that turns
up."

And the bottled-beer being finished, and his hunger appeased, East
departed to his study, "that sneak Jones," as he informed them, who had
just got into the sixth and occupied the next study, having instituted a
nightly visitation upon East and his chum, to their no small discomfort.

When he was gone, Martin rose to follow, but Tom stopped him. "No one
goes near New Row," said he, "so you may just as well stop here and do
your verses, and then we'll have some more talk. We'll be no end quiet;
besides, no praepostor comes here now--we haven't been visited once this
half."

So the table was cleared, the cloth restored, and the three fell to work
with Gradus and dictionary upon the morning's vulgus.

They were three very fair examples of the way in which such tasks were
done at Rugby, in the consulship of Plancus. And doubtless the method is
little changed, for there is nothing new under the sun, especially at
schools.

Now be it known unto all you boys who are at schools which do not
rejoice in the time-honoured institution of the Vulgus, (c