ent only as long as it was
conducted in an orderly manner, and did not offend against the rules of
the school. And a final and more terrible reason still was in the fact
that the House had the power of expelling a member who was generally
obnoxious.

The session at Willoughby always opened on the Saturday after the May
sports, and notice had been duly given that Parliament would assemble
this year on the usual date, and that the first business would be the
election of a Speaker and a Government.

The reader will easily understand that, under present circumstances, an
unusual amount of interest and curiosity centred in the opening meeting
of the school senate, and at the hour of meeting the big dining-hall,
arranged after the model of the great House of Commons, was, in spite of
the fact that it was a summer evening, densely packed by an excited
assembly of members.

Most of the boys as they entered had stopped a moment to read the "order
paper," which was displayed in a prominent place beside the door. It
was crowned with notices, the first three of which gave a good idea of
the prospect of a lively evening.

1. "That the captain of the school be elected Speaker of this House."
Proposed by T. Fairbairn; seconded by E. Coates.

2. "That Mr Bloomfield be elected Speaker of this House." Proposed by
G. Game; seconded by R. Ashley.

3. "That Francis Cusack, Esquire, member for the Isle of Wight, be
elected Speaker of this House." Proposed, A. Pilbury, Esquire;
seconded, L. Philpot, Esq.

The humour of the last notice was eclipsed by the seriousness of the
other two. It had always been taken for granted that the captain of
Willoughby was also the Speaker of the House, and a contested election
for that office was without precedent. Now, however, the old rule was
to be challenged; and as the members waited for the clock to strike six
they discussed the coming contest among themselves with a solemnity
which could hardly have been surpassed in Westminster itself.

The clock sounded at last; every one was in his place. The seniors sat
ranged on the front benches on either side of the table, and the others
crowded the benches behind them, impatiently waiting for the proceedings
to commence.

According to custom, Riddell, as captain of the school, rose, and
briefly proposed, "That Mr Isaacs, Senior Limpet, be requested to
preside until after the election of a Speaker."

The appearance of the captain to m