He had light-brown hair, curling
slightly, with a fair complexion and a good colour. His mouth showed a
good deal of firmness, and he had clear honest eyes, with no little
amount of humour in them. He was dressed in a dark-blue jacket, white
trousers, and a cloth cap. Dawson and Bouldon eyed him narrowly. What
they thought of him, after a nearer scrutiny, they did not say. He
stood at a little distance from the gymnasium, watching with very
evident interest the exercises of the boys. He had, it seemed, when he
first came in with the Doctor, been attracted with what he had seen, and
had come back again as soon as he was at liberty. He drew nearer and
nearer as he gained more and more confidence, till he got close up to
where Dawson and Bouldon were swinging lazily on some cross-bars.
Blackall was at that moment playing off some of his most difficult
feats, such as I have already described.

"I say, young fellow, can you do anything like that?" said Tommy,
addressing Ernest, and pointing at Blackall. "Dawson here swears there
isn't another fellow in England who can come up to him."

"I beg your pardon, did you speak to me?" asked Ernest, looking at Tommy
as if he considered the question had not been put in the most civil way.

"Yes, of course, young one, I did. There's no one behind you, is
there?" answered Tommy. "What's more, too, I expect an answer."

"Perhaps I might, with a little practice," answered the new boy
carelessly. "I'm rather fond of athletic exercises."

"I'll be content to see you get up that pole, young 'un," observed
Tommy, putting his tongue in his cheek. "Take care you don't burn your
fingers as you come down."

"I'll try, if I may," replied the new boy quietly.

He advanced towards the pole, but another boy got hold of it--rather a
bungler he seemed; so Ernest left him to puff and blow by himself in his
vain efforts at getting up, and went on to one of the swinging ropes.
He seized it well above his head, and pressing his knees and feet
against it, steadily drew himself up, to the surprise of Bouldon and
Dawson and several other lookers-on, till he reached the lofty
cross-bar. Was he coming down again? No. He sprang up and ran along
the beam with fearless steps till he came to the part into which the top
of the pole was fixed. Most of the boys thought that he would come down
by the ladder; but, stooping down, he swung himself on to the pole and
slid down head first to the gro