"You will bear in mind that it is my wish that you should be happy.
I expect you to work hard, but I wish you to play hard too. Unless
the body works the brain will suffer, and a happy and contented boy
will learn as easily again as a discontented, and miserable one. I
will give you the box after tea, so that you can all examine them
together. The second and third classes will now stay in; the fourth
class can go out in the playground with the first. I shall have
time to examine them while the others are doing their work tomorrow."

There was a suppressed cheer among the boys and Ripon, as the
senior, said:

"I am sure, sir, we are all very much obliged to you for your
kindness, and we will do our best to deserve it."

There was a chorus of assent, and then the elder and younger boys
went out into the playground while the work of examination of the
second and third classes began.

On the following day lessons began in earnest, and the boys found
their first impressions of the new master more than justified. A
new era had commenced. The sound of the cane was no longer heard,
and yet the lessons were far better done than had been the case
before. Then the whole work had fallen on the boys; the principal
part of the day's lessens had been the repeating of tasks learned
by heart, and the master simply heard them and punished the boys
who were not perfect.

There was comparatively little of this mechanical work now; it