ch it was received by the
schoolhouse boys.

The moment he sat down Crossfield sprang to his feet. This was the
signal for loud schoolhouse cheers, and for general attention from all
quarters, for Crossfield usually had something to say worth listening
to.

"Mr Limpet, sir,"--(loud laughter; Isaacs, who had been drawing niggers
on the paper before him, started, and blushed very much to find himself
thus appealed to)--"I am sure we are all much obliged to the honourable
member who has just sat down for the `sign of intelligence' he has just
favoured us with. (Laughter.) We've been looking for it for a long
time--(laughter)--and it's come at last! (Cheers and laughter.) Sir,
it would be a great pity to let such an occasion pass without notice.
I'm not sure that the doctor might not think it worth a half-holiday. A
sign of intelligence from the hon. gentleman! And what is the sign,
sir? (Laughter.) The hon. member seconds the motion." ("Hear, hear!"
from Parrett's.) "Gentlemen of the same party say `Hear, hear!' as much
as to say, `We, too, show signs of intelligence!' Do you really,
gentlemen? I could not have believed it. (Loud laughter.) Why does he
second the motion? Because he's a Parrett's boy, and Mr Bloomfield is
a Parrett's boy, and all Parrett's boys say a Parrett's boy ought to be
the head of the school! Gentlemen, parrots aren't always to be trusted,
even when they show signs of intelligence! (Cheers and laughter.)
Don't you believe all a parrot tells you about parrots. (Laughter.) I
prefer the arguments of the gentleman who moved the amendment. He says
he doesn't think Mr Riddell is fit to be captain. (Cheers.) I agree
with him--(tremendous Parrett's cheers, and consternation of
schoolhouse)--I don't think Mr Riddell is fit to be captain. He
doesn't think so himself." ("Hear, hear!" from Riddell, and laughter.)
"But the gentleman says Mr Bloomfield is the man. (Loud cheers.) I
don't agree with that at all. Mr Riddell knows very little about
sports, though I do hear he was seen coxing a schoolhouse boat this
morning. (Derisive cheers.) Mr Bloomfield knows almost as little
about classics! (Loud laughter from the schoolhouse.) Why, gentlemen,
do you mean to say you think a fellow who couldn't translate `Balbus
hopped over a wall' without looking up three words in a lexicon is fit
to be a Willoughby captain?" (Laughter from the juniors, and cries of
"Time!" from Parretts.) "I say