By the time the first of the older boys was summoned, it began to grow rapidly dusk; so the shutters were closed, the lamps lighted, and, after this short respite, work busily resumed in all its various branches.

First of all came the undressing, which took place under Miss Royce's supervision, who, folding up the clothes into neat bundles, passed on their owners to the tender mercies of Anne, who presided at the bath.

Thence they stepped on to the warm carpet, right in front of the fire, were speedily wrapped in an enormous sheet, and thoroughly dried and toasted, by an energetic old widow of sixty, who came regularly on Saturdays to make herself generally useful, as well as to take charge of this especial depart

ment.

This operation completed, over their clean night-shirts was thrown a warm, flannel-lined dressing-gown of Miss Royce's, which, to the great delight of all the youngsters, was so long that it trailed a yard or more behind them upon the floor.

Of course, with this profusion of drapery to manage, it was quite impossible for them to attend to anything else, so, turn by turn, Willie and I conducted each one upstairs and along the corridors, carrying their clothes, and otherwise making ourselves useful.

It was fine fun for me to stay up later than any of the other boys, and to watch the big fellows undergo their "tubbing ;" some so calm and matter-of-fact, whilst others, of a more excitable or mischievous turn of mind, jumped in and out, splashing and spattering the drops all around them, or springing up with a startled scream dowsed the water almost over Anne's head as they leapt out, the operation having come to an abrupt conclusion with a sudden shower of cold water from a handy basin close by.

To our mutual delight, it fell to my lot to accompany the Scamp upstairs.

As I came rushing down with the dressing-gown, just discarded from my last charge, and ran quickly in at the kitchen-door, I found him just emerging from under the widow's hands.

We left the room with an ill-suppressed chuckle at our good fortune, and the moment the corner was safely turned, away he sped for the staircase, the dressing-gown floating far away in the air behind him.

I gave chase, but as he took the flight two steps at a time, I was soon outdistanced.

Presently, however, a slipper rattled down the stairs, almost to my feet, succeeded the next moment by its fellow. As I stopped to pick them up, the Scamp sat himself placidly down upon the top step, laughing in a subdued voice as he watched my awkward attempts to hold them, without spilling any of the articles I carried.

By the time I and my burden arrived safely at the top of the staircase, he had risen, and was capering wildly about on the landing, holding the dressing-gown fantastically out at arms'length, in a way which recalled to my mind the day when Harry Morland and I had been amusing ourselves, in much the same fashion, down in the hall below.

"Oh, I say, Scamp, what would She say if she caught you now? That is the very thing that Harry and I got into such a row for doing."

""Twas Harry who got into the row, not you."

"Yes, I know," I replied, meekly, feeling slightly ashamed of myself for having escaped my share of the chastisement. "But then, she threatened that if she—”

"I don't care," interrupted the Scamp, "she won't be coming up here, yet awhile. But never mind; I'll be the 'Queen of Sheba,' and you shall be my servant, holding up my train, and carrying the raiment and fine linen and sandals that I am going to present to Solomon; no one could object to that, could they?"

"I should think not!" I answered, dubiously.

go down again with the dressing-gown, you know."

66

But I must

"Oh, nonsense! Willie Knowles has not started with Freeman, yet. You catch hold behind, and we'll stalk into the room like this."

Saying which, he whisked one arm out of the sleeve, and brought the robe down under his shoulder, diagonally.

I walked a couple of yards behind, the extremity of the folds held lightly between my fingers, and the rest of the drapery falling in graceful curves between us.

Throwing his head back with a haughty air, the Scamp marched on, thrusting his legs well forward, and pointing his toes gracefully towards the ground at every step. One hand was engaged in carefully grasping his attire, whilst the other was poised high in air, merely, he explained, to lend an additional and elegant effect to the scene.

Flinging the door wide open, he marched gravely into the room in dead silence, paced past the row of beds on the right, and so down the other side to his own. Then, with a dignified air, he let his royal robe fall slowly from his shoulders, and, with a sudden bound, sprung lightly on to his bed; whence, seated cross-legged upon his pillow, he looked calmly around, to see what impression he had created upon the surprised occupants of the room.

The boys, of course, after the first astonished stare at his strange mode of entrance, had, one and all, gone off into a succession of loud titters, upset quite as much by the comical expression on his face, as by his absurd deportment and attire.

Miss Baxter, sitting on Harry Morland's bed, engaged in combing out his thick, curly hair, looked quietly up, watched our stately progress round the room, without attempting to check us, and then, in a clear, low voice said, slowly,—

Sam, you know very well that that is not the way to come into a room, and you should not have induced Bernie to take