chool with him; a pleasant smile on his countenance as he looked about
him on the old familiar scenes. Then he shook hands with the fellows
standing near him, and we all cheered again louder than ever. He
thanked us, and said that he hoped he should often meet many of us in
the world, and that he should always look back with pleasure to the days
he had spent in that place. At last he once more waved his hand and
went back into the house.

The instant dinner was over, out we all rushed into the playground.
Those were happy times when, directly after it, we could stand on our
heads, play high-cock-o'lorum, or hang by our heels from the cross-bars
of our gymnastic poles without the slightest inconvenience.

Our school was a good one; I ought to speak well of it. I have, indeed,
a very small opinion of a boy who does not think highly and speak highly
of his own school, and feel thoroughly identified with it, provided it
is a good one. Our school, at all events, was first-rate, and so was
our master. We were proud of him, and believed firmly that there were
very few men in England, or in the world, for that matter, who were
equal to him. He won the affections of all of us, and as it seemed,
with wonderful ease. How he did it we did not trouble ourselves to
consider. I have since, however, often thought over the subject, and
have had no difficulty in guessing the cause of his influence. He was a
ripe scholar, and thoroughly understood what he professed to teach: then
he was always just, and although he was strict, and could be very severe
on occasions, he was one of the kindest-hearted men I ever met. We all
thought so; and boys are not bad judges of their elders. He was a tall,
fine man, with a florid complexion. His eyes were large and clear, and
full of intelligence and expression. And then his voice!--how rich and
mellow it sounded when he exerted it. His smile, too, was particularly
pleasing; and, old as he was, at least as we thought him, he entered
heartily into many of our games and amusements; and it was a fine thing
to see him stand up with a bat in his hand, and send the ball flying
over the hedge into the other field. He had been a great cricketer at
College, and had generally been one of the eleven when any University
match was played, so we heard; and that made him encourage all sorts of
sports and pastimes. He pulled a capital oar; and we heard that he had
been very great at football, though he