That Scholarship Boy

r and

ton's. Haven't had one for ages and ag

ut of school,' said his sister, lifting her eye

e new boy?

he fun,' said Leonard,

even know

ng his elbows on the table, and nibbling the end of the pen-holder in a meditative

hose real name was Florence. 'It was Aunt L

ut the name's nothing. I don't suppose h

the Duke of Norfolk? though auntie says

ggestion. 'Go on, Duffy, let us

re I don't want to hear about the new boy,' said his sis

bore it patiently for a minute or two, and then angrily demanded why he did not

I can out of a girl's foolishness. Only a girl would talk of ringing the bell, and making a row, because she can't

ng about him, and so there's nothi

ell us who his people are, where he comes from,

ppose you expect a new scholar to come and say, "My father is a doctor, or a lawyer, and we

e was to do it the first day or the second day? But when a fellow has bee

on't choose to te

to make him? What would you do,

th a laugh. 'I can't be expected to

stand. We can't have a good stand up fight,

o as the rest tell him, then fig

so stupid as a girl!' he exclaimed. 'Do you think if it was anyth

I'll help you if I can. What

for I took particular notice as he came into the class; but the last day or two he

ou,' interrupted his sister,

ngton's, I tell you, and haven't we got

e head master?' ask

d we mean to do it too. Why, To

it's a good schoo

p it so; we don't mean t

a cad, then?'

ool yesterday, and says he knows it is a fact That the new fellow is a scholarship boy from

holarship boy

d to pay his own schooling, and so

ng only yesterday how much our schooling cost. Why don't the County C

pon which County Scholarships were granted. He merely remarked, 'You're a dreadful duffer about some

am not one of the elder girls, and we juniors don't count for much; but if the gir

s place already. And old Mason actually had the cheek to tell us to-day that we should have to pay a good deal more atten

better get on with your lessons no

haven't told me what a girl's way wo

his lessons better than you do, or you must work at them a little more carefully, I

d not pleased him at all. 'I tell you we want to get rid of the fellow if we ca

,' said Florence. 'He has a goo

Tell father, indeed! What would the other fellows say, do you think? No, no, we can fight our own battle, and defend the honour of the schoo

fy, a little indignantly. The tears were shining in her eyes, for she was very fond of her brother, and

d, if you say a word to father or mother of what I have told you, I never will speak

which Duffy had been muttering over a French verb. 'I'm awfully disappointed about it,' he

w; it isn't fair, Len, and you say boys always are fair,' said his

reater problem unsolved-how the honour of the school was to be saved, and the new boy got rid of? That was

given to looking over his books, that he might not utterly fail when he was called upon to produce what he should h

we saw that new fellow with another carrying a basket

mewhere,' said another. But Taylor slipped his arm in Len's and drew him aside.

of anything last nig

ome to this-that we must do something at once, or Torrington's will go to the dogs, with working

f him, but the question is-how? The only thing that we ca

ample. Of course the boys in the lower classes might speak an occasional word, and the seniors in the upper form might have occasion to do the same, but the classes in this school were large and practically self-con

itself upon him that no one had asked him a question all day, or even told him that he must not do this or that. He felt vaguely uncomfortable before he set off on his long walk home; and when he found that several of his schoo

mother know anything about it, and so he went into the lit

d, as his mother looked up from

Mrs. Howard, as she laid aside her w

quite so much,' said the lad, and he had to strangle

oy?' said his mother

t was inconvenient for him to have a large appetite, and so

,' she remarked as she set his dinner before him,

ot to give it another turn and save the other. Jackets can't be picked up in the street, you know;

during the day, for Mrs. Howard knew something of the ways of boys, and was terribly afraid lest some of her so

scholarship that would enable him to do this. It was the first time, she knew, that a boy from the board school had ever been admitted to this exclusive grammar school known as 'Torrin

ld have all the advantages a good education could give,

ing better, but it won't suit those boys to hear that one of

working man, Fred,' sa

to get the chance of doing it, and to help you and Horace. Here we can only be common working people-you sewing for the shops and I

been as well,' said h

d to come here and leave the

d,' interrupted h

s may be asked, now Horace has gone to that school? Boys are

at a time. I could not, in fairness to Horace, let him throw away this opportunity of gett

ime that very day, and Mrs. Howard was thinki

to guard his secret, and so he rattled on until his mother forgot her fears, an