The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN? Frank and Kate were seated near the | window. The King of the School still kept his arm round her waist, and, unable to resist the sudden temptation, he bent over and kissed her bright red lips, The fair girl blushed, but did not look very displeased, and Frank felt compelled to repeat the salute, a pecu- liar noise close at hand informing him that his friend Pembridge was similiarly engaged, At that moment a look of intense surprise and alarm crossed Kate Con- way’s face. | “‘ Look!” said she, glancing timidly at the window. | Frank did so, and beheld the face of the Reverend John Whackley. If the truth must be confessed, Frank Egerton was not a little astonished to see that stern face at the window. However, he had sufficient presence of mind to bow, and then, in obedienceto a signal from the head master, he went to the decor. “You and your companions will re- turn to college within the hour. On your arrival there I expect to see you in my study.” With these words the doctor stalked away. | “¢ What's in the wind now, I wonder?” asked Frank, as he returned and re- ported his interview to the others. “JT don’t know—can’t imagine? re- sponded Pembridge. ‘“‘ However, as he has given us an hour to return, I shall take advantage of it. We can walk back in ten minutes, so we have forty left for enjoyment. “Will you be flogged?” asked Lizzie, staring with her great black eyes in the Earl of Pembridge’s face, and making a terrible hole in the young peer’s heart. “No; I don’t think so,” was the response. “Not that I care much for a whipping.” | | “Come, don’t talk in that doleful style,” said Frank. “I am the chief offender; but I want another waltz before I go to be executed.” 41 Charlie Fitzgerald re-commenced playing, nor was he allowed to stop till the forty-minutes had expired, and it was time to hurry back to Lexicon College. After bidding Kate and Lizzie a hurried farewell, they hastened away, and shortly afterwards stood in the presence of the irate pedagogue. “Well, young gentlemen, and what have you to say in excuse for such in- famous conduct ?” he asked. _ “Sir!” exclaimed all the three boys, immensely surprised. “T say what excuse can you make for such infamous conduct?” “Tam not aware that I have been guilty of anything to which the term Infamous can be applied,” responded Frank, | “ But I myself saw you in that house with those people. “ Certainly, sir; but there is nothing very infamous in that.” “Poor boy! are you so misguided, blinded, then? Could younot perceive the character of the neighbourhood, the house, and the people? Yet, stay; you, of coursé are too young and inexperi- enced to know. “I certainly do not clearly under- stand you, sir,” said Pembridge. “ Then I will tell you in plain words. That house and the people in it should never be seen by pupils of mine. See, here is a letter I received only this afternoon, warning me of the place, and that pupils of mine were in the habit of going there. The doctor handed a letter to Eger ton, whose face flushed as he read it. “The writer of this is most guilty of foul slander,” said the King of the School, as he handed ‘the paper to his friend and relative, Charlie Fitz- gerald. “So say I,” observed the latter. “And I,” said Pembridge, who had been looking over the other’s shoulder. “Since you have formed that opinion, it will be necessary to convince you that I think to the contrary. You will all remain within theschool premises for Go NOC A) EO mn