CHAPTER IV. 



LTHOUGH the first few days of our first holidays 



were certainly pleasant as the flowers in Eden, 



the " characters " which followed us and were duly 



delivered by the postman, bore unmistakable marks 



of the serpent's trail ; for mine consisted of the 



laconic symbols, " U." and " R.," which would have 



required the intervention of a Daniel or a wizard 



to interpret, had not a foot-note explained that " U." implied that 



my progress as a scholar was Unsatisfactory, and that my conduct 



had been Reprehensible. 



How could a boy be happy with such appendages as these ? I 

 began to think that there were too many parson's sons about, and 

 that the world generally would much prefer our room to the honour 

 of our company — as no doubt it would ; nor was it any consolation 

 to consider that others were as little regarded as myself. 



Just then a bachelor from a neighbouring parish strolled in to tea. 

 He said an " urchin " at Marlborough College called him uncle, 

 and, during his milder, weaker mood had extracted the promise of 

 a cake. " You know," he said blandly looking round, " how good 

 my cakes are; indeed, they are justly celebrated for miles around." 



