hearer. When he had kicked a loose splinter of wood satisfactorily off
the leg of one of the desks he began to look at the clock, which
quickened my pace from my remoter ancestors to what the colonel of the
regiment in which my father was an ensign had said of him. I completed
my narrative at last with the lawyer's remark, and added, "and
everybody says the same. And _that_ is why my father had '_The
Honourable_' before his name, just as--" &c., &c.

I had no sooner uttered these words than Johnson started from his
seat, and, covering his face with a spotted silk pocket-handkerchief,
rushed precipitately from the school-room. For one brief instant I
fancied I heard him choking with laughter, but when I turned to Weston
he got up too, with a look of deep concern. "Mr. Johnson is taken very
unwell, I fear," said he. "It is a peculiar kind of spasm to which he
is subject. Excuse me!"

He hurried anxiously after his friend, and I was left alone in the
school-room, into which the other boys shortly began to pour.

"Have you been all alone, old fellow?" said Rupert kindly; "I hoped
you had picked up a chum."

"So I have," was my proud reply; "two chums."

"I hope they're decent fellows," said Rupert. (He had a most pestilent
trick of perpetually playing monitor, to the wet-blanketing of all
good fellowship.)

"You know best," said I pertly; "it's Weston and Johnson. We've been
together a long time."