THE SCHOOLMASTER ABROAD. 91 



In a distant corner of the room are a couple of 

 choice spirits, evidently intent upon some serious 

 work : one of them seems to grow much faster than 

 ever was contemplated by his papa's tailor, as we 

 may guess from the sun-burn mark extending high 

 above the wrist, and also from the extent of leg which 

 his abbreviation of a breeches does not cover. The 

 cock of his eye, and the ingenious upward turn of 

 nostril, seem to indicate that a smack of wickedness 

 never comes amiss to him ; the muscles of his face 

 appear as if they were pretty often twisted about by 

 the galvanic influence of devilry ; while the whalebone 

 pliancy and quicksilver restlessness of his limbs in- 

 dicate a fitness for any stirring affair of fun. The 

 other is a short-necked, sedate-looking, oily-faced, 

 smooth-haired barrel of a boy ; but in spite of his 

 sleepy looking aspect he is evidently " wide awake" 

 to the affair in progress. He does not evince so much 

 exuberant extasy as his companion, but it is not pro- 

 bable that he feels less ; he works quietly — but with 

 system ; and slowly— but with certainty. 



We see him charming, yet we see but half — 

 The rest his downcast modesty conceals. 



They have contrived to break open the desk of a 

 careful companion whose assiduity in study is never 

 allowed to interfere with the refection of his inward 

 man ; they have found, in a paper parcel, a good 

 looking double slice of bread and butter ; this, being 

 disunited, is made to perform the office of a sticking 

 plaster (though not so efficacious as that recommen- 

 ded by Doctor Budd) on the side of a slate, annihi- 

 lating a neatly written Greek exercise. To what 

 base uses we may come, Horatio ! A bottle of well- 

 sugared liquorice water is undergoing admixture 

 with the contents of an inkstand ; and a couple of 

 loUypops are transferred from their hiding place to 

 the mouths of the operatives. Meanwhile they have 

 baptized the internal parts of a box of Ackerman's 

 colours (new, three days ago, from May's shop) 



