s plain by the way
they had all pricked their ears they did not.

"Oh, if you know, it's all right. But you don't know the latest."

"We don't want to, unless it's that old Tempest has got off."

"That's just what it is," said I triumphantly.

"Good old Sarah! how do you know?"

"Never mind, it's a secret; but it's a fact, honour bright."

"What, has he paid all his bills?"

"They're all paid, I know that."

"I suppose," said Langrish, "as that motion about Sarah being kicked out
wasn't properly seconded, it's off, isn't it?"

"Does any gentleman second the motion?" said Coxhead, glancing round
the assembled Philosophers.

No one seconded it.

"Jolly lucky shave for you, young Sarah," said Coxhead.

"Thanks awfully," said I.

"We may as well divide up the pool now?" suggested Warminster.

With a generosity which was really touching, the Philosophers had
clubbed together the shattered fragments of their term's pocket-money to
assist Tempest in his financial troubles. They had done it
ungrudgingly, nay enthusiastically, and it was not against them that the
enthusiasm remained now as each one unexpectedly received back his
Philosopher's mite from the depths of the kindly "pool."

It is all very well keeping a secret like mine for twenty-four hours.
It was an effort, but I did it, and prevailed on my comrades to keep it
too. It was even harder work to prevail upon them as a matter of policy
to accept the temporary supremacy of Crofter in the house. Nothing
would induce them to refrain from cheering Tempest (much to his
displeasure) on every possible occasion. It made it awkward for me
sometimes when this happened in Crofter's presence; for as things now
were in Sharpe's, a cheer for the old captain meant a hoot at the new;
and I felt that Crofter, did the fellows only know all, did not deserve
their resentment.

After forty-eight hours I could not restrain myself any longer. It was
not fair to myself, or Crofter, or Low Heath, that every one should
suppose Tempest was to be expelled when he really was not. So, with
some misgivings, I decided to put myself in his way and break the
agreeable news to him, and so have everything cleared up before the end
of term.

It was not difficult to find an excuse. I had not been to Tempest's
rooms since our unlucky quarrel, and had been suffering inconvenience
ever since by the fact that my Latin Gradus was there. On the last day
but one of the term, therefo