Few knew what that something was, and fewer still knew what it meant.
"What are you up to to-morrow ?" asked the elder Halliday of his fag on the Friday evening.
"Fishing," briskly replied the boy.
"You're for ever fishing," said Joe.

"I suppose that young brother of mine is going with you ?" "No; Jim's going to play in the match against the Badgers." The "Badgers," let me explain, was the name of a scratch cricket eleven made up of boys in the first, second and third forms.
"Are you going alone, then ?" Charlie felt uncomfortable as he answered,-- "No." "Whom are you going with ?" pursued the inquiring Joe.
"A fellow in the fifth who asked me to come." "What's his name ?" Charlie had no help for it now.
"Tom Drift," he faltered.
"Tom Drift! I thought you and he were at loggerheads." "Oh, don't you know we've made it up?
He was awfully kind about it, and said he was sorry, when it was really my fault, and we shook hands, and to-morrow we are going to fish in a place he knows where there's no end of trout." "Where's that ?" "He didn't want me to tell, for fear everybody should come and spoil the sport; but I suppose I can tell you, though; it's up the Sharle, near Gurley." "Humph! I've fished there before now.

Not such a wonderful lot of fish, either." "I suppose you won't be there to-morrow ?" asked Charlie nervously, afraid of losing the confidence of Tom Drift by attracting strangers to his waters.
"Not if I know it," replied Joe.

"I say, youngster, I thought you had given up the notion of making up to that fellow ?" "I didn't make up to him, only I can't be sorry to be friends with him--" "Well, I hope you won't be sorry now you've done it.

Take care what you're about, that's all." Charlie was again perplexed to understand why Halliday seemed to have such a dislike to poor Tom.
Just as he was going off to bed Joe stopped him and asked,-- "By the way, shall you be using your watch to-morrow ?" "Well, I promised I'd take it, to see how the time went; but I dare say we could do without it, and I would like to lend it to you, Halliday." "Not a bit of it," replied the other.