"--MS. Ballad.
The next morning, at first lesson, Tom was turned back in his lines,
and so had to wait till the second round; while Martin and Arthur said
theirs all right, and got out of school at once. When Tom got out and
ran down to breakfast at Harrowell's they were missing, and Stumps
informed him that they had swallowed down their breakfasts and gone off
together--where, he couldn't say. Tom hurried over his own breakfast,
and went first to Martin's study and then to his own; but no signs of
the missing boys were to be found. He felt half angry and jealous of
Martin. Where could they be gone?
He learnt second lesson with East and the rest in no very good temper,
and then went out into the quadrangle. About ten minutes before school
Martin and Arthur arrived in the quadrangle breathless; and catching
sight of him, Arthur rushed up, all excitement, and with a bright glow
on his face.
"O Tom, look here!" cried he, holding out three moor-hen's eggs; "we've
been down the Barby road, to the pool Martin told us of last night, and
just see what we've got."
Tom wouldn't be pleased, and only looked out for something to find fault
with.
"Why, young un," said he, "what have you been after? You don't mean to
say you've been wading?"
The tone of reproach made poor little Arthur shrink up in a moment and
look piteous; and Tom with a shrug of his shoulders turned his anger on
Martin.
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