suddenly in a study lined with books and a stout rubicund gentleman with a
gold watch chain and a habit (as Peter at once discovered) of whistling
through his teeth was writing at a table.

He turned round when he heard them enter and watched them for a moment as
they stood by the door.

"Well, boys" (his voice came from somewhere near his watch chain), "come
and shake hands. How are you all?"

Some eager boy in the front row, with a pleasant smile and a shrill piping
voice said, "Very well, thank you, sir," and Peter immediately hated him.

Then they shook hands and their names were written in a book. The stout
gentleman said, "Well, boys, here you all are. Your first term, you
know--very important. Work and play--work and play. Work first and play
afterwards, and then we'll be friends. Oh, yes! Supper at nine. Prayers at
nine-thirty."

They were all bundled out, and the tall man with pince-nez said: "Now,
boys, you have an hour before supper," and left them without another word
in a long dark passage. The passage was hung with greatcoats and down each
side of it were play-boxes. At the other end, mistily and vaguely, figures
passed.

Peter sat down on one of the play-boxes and saw, to his disgust, that the
eager boy with the piping voice sat down also.

"I say," said the piping boy, "don't you like school awfully?"