brewed in the winter and Easter terms, when the days were short and
lock-up early. In the summer term there were other things to do--nets,
which lasted till a quarter to seven (when lock-up was), and the
baths--and brewing practically ceased. But just now it was at its height,
and every evening, at a quarter past five, there might be heard in the
houses the sizzling of the succulent sausage and other rare delicacies.
As a rule, one or two studies would club together to brew, instead of
preparing solitary banquets. This was found both more convivial and
more economical. At Seymour's, studies numbers five, six, and seven had
always combined from time immemorial, and Barry, on obtaining study
six, had carried on the tradition. In study five were Drummond and his
friend De Bertini. In study seven, which was a smaller room and only
capable of holding one person with any comfort, one James Rupert
Leather-Twigg (that was his singular name, as Mr Gilbert has it) had
taken up his abode. The name of Leather-Twigg having proved, at an
early date in his career, too great a mouthful for Wrykyn, he was known
to his friends and acquaintances by the euphonious title of
Shoeblossom. The charm about the genial Shoeblossom was that you could
never tell what he was going to do next. All that you could rely on
with any certainty was that it would be something which would have been
better left undone.

It was just five o'clock when Barry and M'Todd started to get things
ready. They were not high enough up in the school to have fags, so that
they had to do this for themselves.

Barry was still in football clothes. He had been out running and
passing with the first fifteen. M'Todd, whose idea of exercise was
winding up a watch, had been spending his time since school ceased in
the study with a book. He was in his ordinary clothes. It was therefore