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At seven that evening, after tea, the Fourth Junior room became a centre of attraction to all Saint Dominic's. Fellows from the Sixth and Fifth, always ready for novelty in the way of amusement, looked in to see the sport. The Fourth Senior grandly condescended to witness the vulgar exploits of their juniors, and the other classes were most of them represented by one or more spectators.
In vain Stephen, now utterly indignant, and burning with a sense of injustice, protested his innocence. He could not get a hearing, and presently found himself out in the passage, the most miserable boy in all Saint Dominic's.
"And how do you like Saint Dominic's?" presently inquired the master. "I suppose you've made plenty of friends by this time?" "Oh yes, sir. It's not as slow as it was at first." "That's right. You'll soon get to feel at home. And how do you think you are getting on in class?" Stephen was astonished at this question. If any one knew how he was getting on in class Mr Rastle did, and, alas!
He gets a vehement cheer at all costs, mingled with shouts of "Well kicked, sir!" "Hack it through!" and the like, which clearly show that the sympathy of Saint Dominic's is quite as much with the exploits accomplished by the young hero's feet as by those of his head. Now for the Fifth!
As he wrote, and his thoughts flew back to the home and the mother he had left only yesterday, his spirits fell, and the home-sickness came over him worse than ever. What would he not give to change places with this very letter, and go back home! Here, no one cared for him, every one seemed to despise him. He wasn't used to those rough public schools, and would never get on at Saint Dominic's.
If you have ever been to such a place, you can imagine Oliver Greenfield's experiences during this Christmas term at Saint Dominic's. When the gentlemen of the Fifth Form had once made up their minds to anything, they generally carried it through with great heartiness, and certainly they never succeeded better in any undertaking than in this of "leaving Oliver to himself."
Saint Dominic's was beginning to appreciate poetry at last! "Oh, I say! read that last one again, some one!" And then, amid redoubled hilarity, the whole effusion was encored. The poet promptly sought out his enthusiastic admirer. "Oh! I say," said he, "would you like a copy of it?" "Eh oh, rather!" was the reply. "Very good. You won't mind if I put a few more verses in, will you?
And then, without another word, the three rowed back to Saint Dominic's. On reaching Saint Dominic's the three boys discovered that the news of their afternoon's adventure had arrived there before them. Paul, despite his promise of secrecy, had not been able to refrain from confiding to one or two bosom friends, in strict confidence, his version of the fracas on the tow-path.
The first number of the Dominican had undoubtedly caused a sensation; and it would have created far more sensation but for the fact that the Alphabet Match was to be played on the following day. But even this counter-attraction could not wholly divert the mind of Saint Dominic's from this new literary marvel; and a skirmish took place on the very afternoon of its appearance.
The big frame had been smuggled in, and the big sheet was now safely lodged behind the glass, with its eight broad columns of clearly-written manuscript all ready to astonish Saint Dominic's.
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