He had never been so fixed before.

He had often had a crowd of small boys round him, tormenting him and provoking him to anger; but to be perched up here at a desk, with twenty tender youths hanging on the first word which should fall from his lips, was to say the least, a novel experience.

He glanced up towards the far end of the room, in the hopes of being able to catch a hint from the practised Jonah as to how to proceed.

But he found Jonah was looking at him suspiciously over the top of his book, and that was no assistance whatever.

The boys evidently enjoyed his perplexity; and, emboldened by his recent act of friendliness to the unlucky Freddy, regarded him benevolently.
"Will some one lend me a book ?" at last said Jeffreys, half desperate.
A friendly titter followed this request.
"Don't you know it without the book ?" asked one innocent, handing up a book.
"I hope you do," said Jeffreys, blushing very much as he took it.
"Now," added he, turning to the reign of James II, "can any one tell we what year King James II came to the throne ?" "Please, sir, that's not the way," interposed another irreverent youngster, with a giggle.