I wear patent leather boots, and they don't need as much blacking as some of the fellows'." Charlie was at a loss to understand what the material of Master Halliday's boots had to do with his own alleged good fortune in falling into the hands of such a guardian; but he said nothing, and, reassured by the good-humoured face of his conductor, followed him cheerfully from the chapel.
"Hullo, Joe! got a donkey at last ?" cried some one, as the two wended their way up the stairs leading to the dormitories.
"Looks like it," was Joe's reply.
It was not very long before Charlie learned that the four-footed beast thus vaguely referred to was a polite term which the big boys at Randlebury used to designate their fags.
"Come in here," said his conductor, turning in at a small door.
Charlie found himself inside a small apartment, measuring about ten feet square, lighted by a small window, warmed by a small fire, decorated with a small bookcase, and furnished with a small table, two small chairs, and a small cupboard.
"This is my den; and mind when you clean the window you don't crack that pane more than it is; and when you brush my things, you know, see the shelf isn't dirty, because I sometimes keep my worms there--do you hear?
And now come along to bed; they put out lights at half-past nine." The mention of the time recalled me instinctively to Charlie's thoughts.
He could not resist the temptation, suggested half by anxiety and half by vanity, of taking me out and looking at me.
"Hullo! What, have you got a watch ?" "Yes," said Charlie meekly, not exactly knowing whether his companion would be admiring or indignant with him.
"More than I have," was all Joe's rejoinder.
Charlie's generosity was at once touched.
"Oh, never mind, we can go shares sometimes, if you like, you know," said he, not without an effort.
"I don't want your watch," was Master Halliday's somewhat ungracious reply.

"Let's have a look at it, will you ?" He took me, and examined me; and evidently would not have objected to be the possessor of a watch himself, though he tried to make it appear it was a matter of indifference to him.
"Why don't you get your father to give you one ?" asked Charlie innocently.
"Because I haven't got a father." "Not got a father! Oh, I am sorry!" and the starting tears in the little fellow's eyes testified only too truly to his sincerity.

"Look here," he added, "do take the watch, please; perhaps you would like it, and my father would give me another." Joe Halliday gazed at his young fag in amazement.
"Why, you are a queer chap," he said.

"I wouldn't take your watch for anything; but I tell you what, I'll ask you the time whenever I want to know." "Will you really ?" cried the delighted Charlie.

"How jolly!" "And look here," continued Halliday, "take my advice, and don't go offering your watch to everybody who hasn't got a father, or some of them might take you at your word, and then you'd look foolish.