The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN? 5 was consoling himself by a flirtation with one of the barmaids. ‘Never mind him. I’ll see he doesn’t hurt you,” interposed Everton. “ Have you made up your mind?” asked Marsham. ‘ You are promised ten shillings a-week for certain, and no doubt you will pick up five, or, perhaps, ten more.” ‘‘A sovereign—all in one week !” ejaculated the boy. “ Yes; isn’t it enough ?” “ Oh, yes,sir—a great deal more than I ever had.” “ Here, then, get yourself a third- class ticket.” As Marsham spoke, he handed the delighted boy a half-sovereign, with which he ran off to the booking- office. “ Here’s the change, sir—three shil- lings and a ha’penny; the ticket cost six and ’leven pence ha’penny,”’ said the boy, as he returned. ‘Keep it,” was the response. The delighted boy thrust the coins into the pocket of his ragged trousers. “Times up, gentlemen,” said the guard, thrusting his head in at the doorway. “ Weare going in your van, Snooks,” observed Lascelles. ‘“‘ It’s against the rules, gentlemen.” “ Bother the rules. You must find room for us.” ‘¢ Any more for the train ?” shouted a porter. ‘¢Comealong, Frank,” exclaimed Fitz- gerald, and the boys raced along the platform till they reached the guard’s break van, into which they leaped. — Marsham was last to enter, driving before him in a good-natured way the ragged boy who had been befriended by Egerton. The guard felt rather inclined to be angry at the presumption of the boy in forcing his way among his betters ; but the state of the case was soon ex- plained to him, and, when he had re- ceived one of Marsham’s thick regalias, and a drop of brandy from a pocket- flask, he so far relented as to smile upon the lad as he sat up in one corner, de- ‘-vouring the pork pie. “What’s your name, you young _ beggar?” asked Lascelles, when the boy began to show signs that his hunger was satisfied. ‘“‘ Harry, sir.” ““ Harry what ?” “ Well, sir, they call me Harry Smith, because I used to lodge at old Mother Smith’s in Parker Street, but ” The boy paused. “Then Smith I suppose is not your real name ?” “T think not, sir.” “You think not. mean ?” “T can just recollect when I was a very little chap, I used to live ina very large, fine house, but I don’t remember whereabouts it was ?” ‘““How did you come to leave it?” asked Egerton. ‘*That I can remember very well, sir.” “Tell us,” exclaimed all the other boys crowding round him. “Well, gentlemen, I can just remem- ber that one day the nurse took me out into one of the parks, that was when I could walk and speak a little, and I remember as well as if it only happened yesterday, a big soldier came up and spoke to the nurse, and she put me down on the grass while she was talk- ing to him, I wandered off, and when I looked round after a little time, I could not see her. ‘“‘ Then I began to cry, and a strange woman came up and asked what was the matter. I told her I wanted to go What do you home, and she said she would take me;. but instead of doing so she took me to a low place, where I was stripped of my good clothes and dressed me i” Tags. “IT remained with her a long time, then she used to send me out to sell matches; if I did not sell a good quan- tity she would beat me. One day after she had been beating me I ran away, and began to sell matches on my own account; and with that, and holding EO DOC EO mn