He sauntered slowly down the path, looking solemnly now on one side, now on the other, and now at us all, until presently he stood in our midst, and gazed half inquiringly, half doubtfully, from one to the other.
I know I felt a good deal more uncomfortable than he did himself, and was quite glad when Flanagan broke the solemn silence.
"Hullo, youngster, who are you, eh ?" "Smith," laconically replied the new boy, looking his questioner in the face.
There was nothing impudent in the way he spoke or looked; but somehow or other his tone didn't seem quite as humble and abject as old boys are wont to expect from new.

Flanagan's next inquiry therefore was a little more roughly uttered.
"What's your Christian name, you young donkey?
You don't suppose you're the only Smith in the world, do you ?" We laughed at this.

It wasn't half bad for Flanagan.
The new boy, however, remained quite solemn as he replied, briefly, "John Smith." "And where do you come from ?" said Philpot, taking up the questioning, and determining to get more out of the new-comer than Flanagan had; "and who's your father, do you hear?
and how many sisters have you got?
and why are you sent here?
and are you a backward or a troublesome, eh ?" The new boy gazed in grave bewilderment at the questioner during this speech.

When it was ended, he quietly proceeded to move off to another part of the playground without vouchsafing any reply.
But Philpot, who was on his mettle, prevented this manoeuvre by a sudden and dexterous grip of the arm, and drew him back into the circle.
"Do you hear what I say to you ?" said he, roughly, emphasising his question with a shake.

"What on earth do you mean by going off without answering ?" "It's no business of yours, is it ?" said the new boy, mildly.
"Yes," exclaimed Philpot, "it is.