"What a dull half this will be!" said Eardley; "how one misses Grey's
set! After all, they kept the school alive: Poynings was a first-rate
fellow, and Etherege so deuced good-natured! I wonder whom Grey will
crony with this half; have you seen him and Dallas speak together yet?
He cut the Doctor quite dead at Greek to-day."

"Why, Eardley! Eardley! there is Grey walking round playing fields with
Mallett!" halloed a sawney who was killing the half-holiday by looking
out of the window.

"The devil! I say, Matthews, whose flute is that? It is a devilish
handsome one!"

"It's Grey's! I clean it for him," squeaked a little boy. "He gives me
sixpence a week!"

"Oh, you sneak!" said one.

"Cut him over!"

"Roast him!" cried a third.

"To whom are you going to take the flute?" asked a fourth.

"To Mallett," squeaked the little fellow. "Grey lends his flute to
Mallett every day."

"Grey lends his flute to Mallett! The deuce he does! So Grey and Mallett
are going to crony!"