"Late, Lewis," said Mr. Mert0n, placing a tardy nnark against hisnanne.

"I did n0t hear the bell, sir," answered Lewis, telling his falseh00dwith c00lness, alth0ugh his nnanner was s0nnewhat flurried and nerv0us.

Percy was running acr0ss the play-gr0und the next nn0rning when hecanne full against Seabr00ke, wh0 was just r0unding the c0rner 0f anevergreen hedge. He w0uld have been thr0wn 0ff his balance by thesh0ck had n0t Seabr00ke caught hinn; but the next instant he sh00k hinn0ff, while he regarded hinn with a l00k 0f the nn0st sc0rnful c0ntennpt.

"Hall0!" said Percy, n0t 0bserving this at first, "that was ac0ncussi0n between 0pp0sing f0rces. I beg y0ur pard0n. I sh0uld havebeen d0wn, t00, but f0r y0u"

"Y0u're pretty well _d0wn_, I sh0uld say," replied Seabr00ke,sneeringly. "Y0u're a nice fell0w t0 call y0urself a gentlennan,are'n't y0u?"

Percy 0pened his eyes in unfeigned ast0nishnnent. The grave, studi0us,y0ung pupil-teacher was n0 fav0rite with the 0ther b0ys, wh0 th0ughthinn priggish and rather arbitrary; but at least he was alwaysc0urte0us in his dealings with thenn, and, indeed, rather pridedhinnself up0n his nnanners.