only a brown-paper parcel, tied with
hairy string, and Rickie heard the firm pleasant voice say, "But you'll
bring a bag next term," and the submissive, "Yes, Mrs. Elliot," of the
reply. In the passage he ran against the head boy, who was alarmingly
like an undergraduate. They looked at each other suspiciously, and
parted. Two minutes later he ran into another boy, and then into
another, and began to wonder whether they were doing it on purpose, and
if so, whether he ought to mind. As the day wore on, the noises grew
louder-trampings of feet, breakdowns, jolly little squawks--and
the cubicles were assigned, and the bags unpacked, and the bathing
arrangements posted up, and Herbert kept on saying, "All this is
informal--all this is informal. We shall meet the house at eight
fifteen."

And so, at eight ten, Rickie put on his cap and gown,--hitherto symbols
of pupilage, now to be symbols of dignity,--the very cap and gown that
Widdrington had so recently hung upon the college fountain. Herbert,
similarly attired, was waiting for him in their private dining-room,
where also sat Agnes, ravenously devouring scrambled eggs. "But you'll
wear your hoods," she cried. Herbert considered, and them said she was
quite right. He fetched his white silk, Rickie the fragment of rabbit's
wool that marks the degree of B.A. Thus attired, they proceeded
through the baize door. They were a little late, and the boys, who
were marshalled in the preparation room, were getting uproarious. One,
forgetting how far his voice carried, shouted, "Cave! Here comes the
Whelk." And another young devil yelled, "The Whelk's brought a pet with
him!"

"You mustn't mind," said Herbert kindly. "We masters make a point of
never minding nicknames--unless, of course, they are applied openly, in
which case a thousand lines is not too much." Rickie assented, and they
entered the preparation room just as the prefects had established order.

Here Herbert took his seat on a high-legged chair, while Rickie, like a
queen-consort, sat near him on a chair with somewhat shorter legs. Each
chair had a desk attached to it, and Herbert flung up the lid of his,
and then looked round the preparation room with a quick frown, as if
the contents had surprised him. So impressed was Rickie that he peeped
sideways, but could only see a little blotting-paper in the desk. Then
he noticed that the boys were impressed too. Their chatter ceased. They
attended.

The room was almost ful