I was afraid you were a backward, that I was! If the other new fellow's only a troublesome too, we shall have it all to ourselves.

Philpot, you know," added he confidentially, "is a backward by rights, but he calls himself one of us because of the Tuesday night jams." "Is there another new boy too ?" I inquired, plucking up heart with this friendly comrade.
"Oh! he's coming to-morrow.

Never mind! Even if he's a `back' it don't matter, except for the glory of the thing! The `troubs' were always ahead all Ladislaw's time, and he's no chicken.

I say, come in the playground, can't you ?" I followed rather nervously.

A new boy never takes all at once to his first walk in the playground; but with Flanagan as my protector--who was "Hail fellow, well met," with every one, even the backwards--I got through the ordeal pretty easily.
There were eight boys altogether at Stonebridge House, and I was introduced--or rather exhibited--to most of them that afternoon.