"Don't bother!" returned Hurst, to the keeper.

"But you know it _is_ wrong, gentlemen," remonstrated the keeper. "What
was it you threw in? It made a dreadful splash."

"Ah! what was it?" coolly answered Hurst. "What should you say to a
dead cat? Hudson, have the goodness to mind _your_ business, unless you
would like to get reported for interfering with what does not concern
you."

"There's a quarter to ten!" exclaimed Bywater, as the college clock
chimed the three-quarters. "We shall be marked late, every soul of us!"

They flew away, their feet scarcely touching the ground, clattered up
the schoolroom stairs, and took their places. Gaunt was only beginning
to call over the roll, and they escaped the "late" mark.

"It's better to be born lucky than rich," said saucy Bywater.





CHAPTER XVI.


MUCH TO ALTER.

At the same moment Constance Channing was traversing the Boundaries, on
her way to Lady Augusta Yorke's, where she had, some days since,