CHAPTER FOUR.
HOW OUR HEROES ARE PUT THROUGH THEIR PACES.
"The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold" early next day.

The twenty innocent lambs whom, in the last chapter, we left sweetly folded in slumber had barely had time to arise and comb their hair when the advance-guard of the hungry tyrant appeared in their midst.
This was no other than a truck-load of trunks, portmanteaux, bags and hat-boxes sent up from the station, the owners of which, so the alarming rumour spread, were on the road.
It was an agitated meal our heroes partook of with the spectacle of that truck before their eyes, and many an anxious ear was pricked for the first sound of the approaching horde.
But the horde, being aware that nothing was expected of it till mid-day, by no means saw the fun of surrendering its liberty at 10 o'clock, and went down to bathe in the harbour on the way up, so that the fate which impended was kept for two good hours in suspense.
Meanwhile, the interview with the Doctor was accomplished.

It was not very alarming.

Your new boy would sooner face twenty doctors than one hero of the middle Fifth.

The head master asked a few kindly questions of each boy, and, so to speak, took stock of him before adding his name formally to the school list.