Then he laid hold of their verses, and began looking over and altering them, and at last got up, and turning his back to them, said, "You're uncommon good-hearted little beggars, you two.

I value that paper-case; my sister gave it to me last holidays.

I won't forget." And so he tumbled out into the passage, leaving them somewhat embarrassed, but not sorry that he knew what they had done.
The next morning was Saturday, the day on which the allowances of one shilling a week were paid--an important event to spendthrift youngsters; and great was the disgust amongst the small fry to hear that all the allowances had been impounded for the Derby lottery.

That great event in the English year, the Derby, was celebrated at Rugby in those days by many lotteries.

It was not an improving custom, I own, gentle reader, and led to making books, and betting, and other objectionable results; but when our great Houses of Palaver think it right to stop the nation's business on that day and many of the members bet heavily themselves, can you blame us boys for following the example of our betters?
At any rate we did follow it.