The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 145: 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? 139 doctor, when Egerton had finished. “It seems that he did not follow the chase in a legitimate manner, but wan- dered off towards a point where he sup- posed it would end, and was mistaken in his calculations. Well, I will not flog him ; ring the bell.” A few minutes afterwards Thomas, the footman, entered. “Tell Crawley to come here,” com- manded the doctor, and a few min- utes afterwards Thomas proclaimed before all the school— “Master Crawley, you are wanted in Doctor Whackley’s study.” The wretched boy followed the foot- man, not before Freddy Webber had quietly observed that the head of the college always flogged harder in his own private room than in the public ‘ school-room. | _ On arriving in the awful presence, however, his fears were slightly re- lieved when he saw that the frown had rtly vanished from the doctor’s face. ‘‘ T have—through the intercession of these young gentlemen—resolved not to flog you; but, to mark my sense of your conduct, I shall insist upon your writing two hundred lines. Now go, and never let such a thing occur again.” The doctor waved his hand, and Crawley departed, glad that he had escaped the threatened flogging, but angry that he owed his escape to Frank Egerton. * % * ” % e Time marched on at his accustomed pace, but to many of tie boys he ap- peared to be dragging slowly. Two young ladies in Ballsbury com- - plained, on the other hand, that he was much too fast; and, of course, the reader at once guesses that I allude to Kate and Lizzie Conway. Holidays to them meant separation fora period from those youths whose con- stant society now seemed so necessary to their happiness, that Kate and her sister used sometimes to wonder how they managed to exist before Frank Egerton and the Earl of Pembridge became known to them. A promise of constant correspond- ence was, of course, given on both sides, which partly reconciled the girls to their hard fate. The examinations took place the week immediately preceding the. holi- days, and resulted in Frank Egerton being proclaimed premier scholar in classics, mathematics, and modern languages: Fitzgerald coming next in the first-named studies, Lascelles and the earl winning the other second honours. Freddy. Webber received honourable mention, so did Marsham, to his great astonishment. A grand supper was always given to the boys the night before they left school—all the luxuries of the season and plenty of wine. | Doctor Whackley always headed the table, with the boy who had won most | prizes on his right hand. On this occasion, of course, Frank Egerton, the King of the School, was on) that honoured individual. The cloth being removed, the healths | of the Queen, Royal Family, army, navy, and church, were drank in one bumper, and then came the toast of the evening—Frank Egerton, the King of the School. | . ‘“‘He has proved a wise and a strong king,” observed the doctor; “ wise in encouraging those younger than him- self to act in a honest, brave, and manly manner—strong to protect them from bullies and evil associates. His influence and example have done won- ders in improving the general tone of the school.” (Loud cheers and musical honours. ) Frank replied— Well, we can’t afford much space for reporting speeches, but not to give a few extracts would be unfair. “The doctor has rather over-esti- mated my influence and exertions, | fancy,” said he; “though I certainly have tried to do as much good, and give as little trouble as possible. When I came here the school was divided into three or four cliques or factions, and the consequence was that EO NOC A) (CO mn