He made a little speech he had got ready in case of need, lauding up athletics to the skies, and confessing his own sympathy and enthusiasm for whatever tended towards the physical improvement of Grandcourt.

The boys cheered him at every sentence, and when Smedley afterwards welcomed him in the name of the boys, and said they were all proud to have an old "Blue" among their masters, he received quite a small ovation.

Then the meeting went heartily to work over the business of the sports.
After an hour and a half's steady work the programme was arranged, the date was fixed, the expenses were estimated, and the vote of thanks was given to the chairman.
"Would you mind umpiring again next Saturday, sir ?" asked Smedley, as they parted.
"With all the pleasure in the world--any time," said the master, only wishing he could play in the fifteen himself.
Railsford's house, meanwhile, had celebrated the temporary absence of its ruler in strictly orthodox fashion.

Scarcely had he departed, flattering himself that the deluded mice were still under the spell of the cat's presence in their neighbourhood, when the word went round like wildfire, "Coast's clear!" Arthur and the baronet heard it in their study, and flung their books to the four winds and rushed howling down to the common room.

The Babies heard it, and kicked over their forms, and executed war-dances in the passages.