The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

88 THE KING OF THE SCHOOL: OR. WHO WILL WIN? CHAPTER XXIJIL. FIRST PIC-NIC. THE boys, when they heard of their king’s adventures, were enthusiastic in his praise. But some of them, when they heard the whole of the matter, were justly indignant with Baynes, who, by his taunts and _ sneers, incited Frank Egerton to mount the mad mare. Bully Baynes was cut by many of them in consequence. _ _ After tea that evening Frank and the Karl of Pembridge prepared their les- sons for the next day in a very hasty manner, and then left the school-room for the purpose of taking a walk in the town. | | Marsham, Lascelles, and two or three others volunteered to accompany them; but the offers were coldly re- | ceived, as the KING OF THE SCHOOL and his friend. were “ going on import- ant business.” — The intelligent reader will at once guess that they intended to see two young ladies whom we have already introduced upon the scene. We call them young ladies, because, though their surviving parent was poor, they had been well educated, and on all _occasions spoke and acted as ladies, Frank and his friend had hardly left. the school-grounds when they saw Kate and Lizzie coming towards them. The girl’s had heard of Frank’s equestrian feat at the town-hall, and had been told that he afterwards rode out of town. . They, especially Kate, felt anxious to know how the mad ride had ter- minated, and were walking down to- wards the school in the hopes of hearing something, Right glad were they both to see our hero and his friend. Dear reader, you really have no right to know all the tender nonsense that was said during the ten minutes im- mediately after the meeting of the young couples, so, with your permis- sion, we will pick up the thread of their discourse from the time when they arrived at a certain green field, the proprietor of which had placed rustic seats by the pathway. Having seated themselves, in the course of a very loving conversation the day of the month happened. tc be called in question. “Tt’s the third of September,” ob- served the earl. ‘Then next Wednesday is the holi- day. How shall we spend it?” asked Frank, | Now this was a very important question, and while. they are consider- ing—the girls waiting very anxiously for the decision—let me explain things, From time immemorial it had been the custom to observe the first Wednes- day in every month as a holiday, The reason for such a custom no one could tell, the origin being lost in the clouds of antiquity. On that day the pupils rose half-an- hour earlier than usual, lines were repeated before breakfast, and after that meal they had two hours class; the ‘proceedings terminated at eleven in the forenoon, after which the. boys _were allowed to do as they pleased till ten o’clock at night, when names were called in the school-room. “TI know what we'll do,” said Pem- bridge. “ What ?” “We'llhave apic-nic; such jolly fun.” “Yes, that’s jolly. These young ladies will like it, 1 know, won’t you, Kate?” Frank observed, EO MAICLOOC EO mn