altogether a most public-spirited affair."

"Tilliard started them," said Widdrington. "Tilliard thinks it
such a pity the college should be split into sets."

"Oh, Tilliard!" said Ansell, with much irritation. "But what can
you expect from a person who's eternally beautiful? The other
night we had been discussing a long time, and suddenly the light
was turned on. Every one else looked a sight, as they ought. But
there was Tilliard, sitting neatly on a little chair, like an
undersized god, with not a curl crooked. I should say he will get
into the Foreign Office."

"Why are most of us so ugly?" laughed Rickie.

"It's merely a sign of our salvation--merely another sign that
the college is split."

"The college isn't split," cried Rickie, who got excited on this
subject with unfailing regularity. "The college is, and has been,
and always will be, one. What you call the beefy set aren't a set
at all. They're just the rowing people, and naturally they
chiefly see each other; but they're always nice to me or to any
one. Of course, they think us rather asses, but it's quite in a
pleasant way."

"That's my whole objection," said Ansell. "What right have they
to think us asses in a pleasant way? Why don't they hate us? What
right has Hornblower to smack me on the back when I've been rude
to him?"