20 REMINISCENCES OF 



Clagget. Green was captain of the lower boats, but 

 as he was in the eight of the school Clagget was put 

 on as stroke for lower sixes. 



After I became fifth form I used to mess with 

 Northcote. I think he had then become captain of 

 the house. He had nine fags and I had one, Harry 

 Liddell, the present Lord Ravensworth. 



I was very idle, and had no turn for doing verses. 

 Northcote could compose them almost as quick as he 

 could repeat them, and used to correct mine, and help 

 me with them. The verses had to be sent in on 

 Monday at midday school. Once we had a serious 

 quarrel. One very hot morning I came in and found 

 Tab at breakfast in his shirt sleeves, and his coat 

 hanging on my chair. " Tab, take your coat off my 

 chair." " I shan't," quoth he. " If you don't, I'll 

 chuck it out of the window." " Shan't," he re- 

 peated. Away went the coat out of the window, and 

 floated into the tutor's garden. Unfortunately it was 

 Monday morning. Tab said, " You may finish your 

 verses for yourself". 



That week the verses were a very inferior lot, 

 and my tutor was very much puzzled to know the 

 reason why. However, we soon made it up, and 

 were better friends than ever. 1 



My tutor was always afraid that I should influence 

 Tab for evil, as I was very idle and fond of field 

 sports. We used to have card parties, and sit on 

 the floor and play at vingt-et-un for halfpence. 



1 The verses were done by Tom Walsh, whom I never met again 

 after leaving Eton till September, 1898. 



