The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's Part 57

They had come out into the pa.s.sage to cheer, but they went away silently and sadly, feeling that their very occupation was departed.

Bramble, always quick to see a chance, took advantage as usual of this panic.

"Hullo, I say, Guinea-pigs, you can shut up shop now, you know. We're going to let off Greenfield senior this time, ain't we, Padger? Jolly fellow, Greenfield senior."

This was abominable! To have their hero and idol thus calmly taken out of their hands and appropriated by a set of sneaking Tadpoles was more than human patience could endure!

"Bah! A lot he'll care for _your_ letting him off!" exclaimed Paul, in dire contempt. "He wouldn't touch you with a shovel."

"Oh, yes, he would, though, wouldn't he, Padger? And what do you think, Guinea-pigs? _we're going to get Greenfield senior to take the chair at one of our meetings_!"

Bramble came out with the last triumphant announcement with a positive shout, which made the hearts of his adversaries turn cold. In vain they laughed the idea to scorn; in vain they argued that if for the last six months he had never said a word even to the Guinea-pigs, he would hardly now come and take up with the Tadpoles. Bramble and Padger insisted on their story.

"Now, you fellows," concluded Bramble, at the end of another oration; "those who say three cheers for Greenfield senior hold up--"

The infuriated Paul here hurled the cap of a brother Guinea-pig, who was standing near him, full at the face of the speaker, who thereupon, altering the current of his observations, descended from his form and "went for" his opponent.

From that day a keener war raged round the head of Greenfield senior than ever. Not of attack and defence of his character, but of rivalry as to whom should be accounted his foremost champions.

It was at this critical period in the history of Saint Dominic's that a new number of the _Dominican_ came out. Pembury had been compelled to write it nearly all himself, for, in the present state of divided feeling in the Fifth, he found it harder than ever to get contributions.

Even those of his own way of thinking, Oliver, Wraysford, and Bullinger, begged to be let off, and, indeed, the two former ingeniously pleaded that, as they were now really Sixth Form fellows (though remaining in their old cla.s.s till the Doctor came home), they had no right to have a hand in the Fifth Form magazine. And their conscientious scruples on this ground were so strong that no persuasions of Anthony's could shake them. So the unlucky editor had finally, as on a previous occasion, to retire into private life for a season, and get the whole thing out himself, with only the aid of a few inches of "Sonits" from Simon.

But "what man has done man can do," and this time the editor's efforts were crowned with no less success than on the former occasion.

The _Dominican_ certainly did not seem to have lost its novelty, to judge by the crowd which once more a.s.sembled outside the cla.s.sic portals of the Fifth, to peruse the contents of the now familiar big oak frame.

"School News" was the first item of Tony's bill of fare.

After announcing in appropriate terms the Doctor's illness, and "universal hope of seeing him back in all his former vigour" (one or two boys whistled low as they read this, and thought the editor might at least have been content to "speak for himself"), Anthony went on to announce the various school events which had happened since the publication of the last number. Christmas prize-day of course came in for a good share of the description, and contained a touch-off for everybody.

"The Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles," said the _Dominican_, "looked quite unearthly in their cleanliness. It was commonly reported that one or two of them had washed their faces twice in one week. But this is hardly credible. It is, however, a fact that Bramble was shut up in his study for half an hour with his grandmother and a basin of hot water, and that the conclusion come to from the yells and shrieks which proceeded from the torture-chamber that evening, and the appearance of the dear child next day, is that he undoubtedly underwent one scrubbing this term."

Bramble's face turned so purple at the reading of this that it was impossible to say whether or not any traces of the scouring still remained. He favoured Paul, who stood in front of him, with a furious kick, which that young gentleman, always punctual in his obligations, promptly repaid, and the two combatants somehow managed to miss a good deal of what immediately followed.

After describing the other incidents of prize-day, the _Dominican_ went on as follows:

"But the event of the day was the presentation of the Nightingale Scholarship, which will be sufficiently fresh in our readers' memories to need no comment here, save this one word--that the only Dominican who behaved himself like a gentleman during that remarkable scene was the winner of the scholarship himself!"

This was coming round with a vengeance! The Fifth had half expected it, and now they felt more uncomfortable than ever.

Nor did the succeeding paragraphs leave them much chance of recovery.

"The Waterston Exhibition, our readers will be glad to hear, has been won--and won brilliantly--by Oliver Greenfield, now of the Sixth. No fellow in Saint Dominic's deserves the honour better."

Then, as if his penitence were not yet complete, Pembury went on boldly farther on:

"Speaking of Greenfield senior, it is time some of us who have been doing him injustice for a whole term did what little we could to make amends now. So here goes. Take notice, all of you, that we, the undersigned, are heartily ashamed of our conduct to Greenfield senior, and desire all Saint Dominic's to know it. Signed, A. Pembury, H.

Wraysford, T. Bullinger."

The effect of this manifesto was curious. Pembury himself had been unable to prophesy how it would be taken. The boys in front of the board, as they heard it read out, couldn't tell exactly whether to laugh or be serious over the paragraph. Most, however, did the latter, and hurried on to the next sentence:

"The following are also ashamed of themselves, but don't like to say so.

The _Dominican_ means to give them a leg up:--Tom Senior, G. Ricketts, R. Braddy, and the rest of the Fifth, except Simon, who never was or could be ashamed of himself while he lived to write such pathetic, soul-stirring lines as the following 'Sonits:'"

[It was a great relief to one or two who stood by that Pembury had thus cunningly gone on from grave to gay, and left no pause after the very awkward paragraph about the Fifth.]

Sonit A.

To the _Dominican_.

I cannot write as I would like all in a noisy room There's such a noise of mortal boys who sometimes go and come Oh I will to the woods away all in the lonely shade Where I no more of being disturbed need not to be afraid.

Sonit B.

To Dr Senior.

Dear Doctor I am very grieved to hear that you are not well Oh cruel fate and yet methinks one cannot always tell Things are so catching nowadays I wonder if I ever Shall like unto the Doctor be by catching a low fever.

Sonit C.

To O-- G--.

Oh Greenfield melancholy wite hear me once before I go 'Tis sad to see the blossoms all in autumn time fall low Canst thou recall that night in September when in the pa.s.sage fair I met you all so unexpectedly and you didn't seem to care Oh may my hair turn white and me become a soreing lark Before the memory of that day shines out in life's last spark.

[Wite, possibly wight.]

This was beautiful. Saint Dominic's was beginning to appreciate poetry at last! Simon was positively delirious with triumph when, after the burst of laughter (he called it applause) which greeted the reading of this gem, some one cried out--

"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?

Pembury had to cut some out."

"My dear fellow, I shan't be happy unless I get at least twenty pages."

So off went the delighted Simon to work at this self-imposed task, and caring little about the rest of the _Dominican_.

But some of that was worth reading, too. Tony's leading article, for instance, was an important doc.u.ment. It was headed "Gone Up," and began, "Alas! our occupation's gone! No longer will the _Dominican_ be able to bring its sledge-hammer down on high places and walk into the Sixth. For two of our men, O Fifth!--Greenfield and Wraysford--have joined the cla.s.sic ranks of those who eat toffee in the top form, and play 'odds and evens' under the highest desks of Saint Dominic's. We must be careful now, or we shall catch it. And yet we ought to congratulate the Sixth! At last they have got intelligence and high principle, and two good men behind a scrimmage among them; and more are coming! There's some hope for the Sixth yet, and we would not grudge even our two best men for such a good object as regenerating the top form of Saint Dominic's," and so on--not very flattering to the Sixth, or very comfortable for its two newest members, who, however, had prudently retired from the scene long ago, as soon as the first references to Oliver had been read out.

Then came "Notes from Coventry, continued," which were very brief.

"Since our last, the population of Coventry has undergone a change. The former inhabitant has walked out with flying colours, and the place is empty. Who wants to go?"