58 HOURS WITH NATURE. 



Tom was conducted to the room of S. C. M. for whom 

 the birds and packet were intended as presents. Good 

 humour is catching, and young men, especially young 

 students, are particularly susceptible tc its influence ; so 

 that, within five minutes of Tom Periwinkle's arrival the 

 place was ringing with laughter, and over-flowing good 

 humour of half a dozen choice spirits. 



OUR FIRST ACQUAINTANCE VITH TOM PERIWINKLE. 

 It was late one cold, foggy December night. The 

 streets were almost deserted. Occasionally a belated 

 pedestrian wended his way homewards ; or more rarely, a 

 sleepy policeman muffled up in his great coat could be 

 seen leaning against the lamp post, and appearing through 

 \he mist of night, more like a shadow than anything else. 

 S. C. M. was returning from a marriage feast at a rela- 

 tion's house in the northern part of the city. While at 

 the crossing on the N. W. Corner of Cornwallis Square 

 he thought he heard some one sobbing. He paused, 

 but the only sound that fell upon his ears was that of a 

 ricketty hackney coach that jangled laboriously by. He 

 was about to pass on, when he heard the sobbing again. 

 Indistinctly visible through the dull vapour of the night 

 was the shadowy outline of a form sitting on the 

 foot-path. True enough ! There sat, sad and forlorn 

 with his back towards the railing of the square, his legs 

 drawn up and his arms crossed over the knees, a Euro- 

 pean lad, apparently not more than eleven or twelve 

 years old. His head was bent forward and resting on 



