10 THE NEW SCHOLAR.

Frank. “TI heard Mr. Harding say so himself to Mr.
Neville, the assistant ; so it is true, you see.”

“Did you not even hear his name, Frank?” asked
one.

“No! I have told you all I know,” said Frank,
“and you will have to wait until to-morrow to find out
the rest.” |

“ Oh, dear ! that is a great while to wait,” said Bob
Newton. “But one thing we know, he cannot be
younger than eleven years, for none are admitted here
younger ; and it is not likely he is more than sixteen,
for boys generally leave school at that age. I hope he
is a real good-natured fellow.” |

“Come now,” said Dick Wells, “suppose one of us
should go and ask Mr. Harding about him. There!
he is just walking down the garden towards the summer-
house, with a book in his hand, He is going there to
read, I suppose ; a capital chance to ask him.”

“I will not ask him this time,” said Harry Blake,
“for it fell to my lot last time, and Mr. Harding will
think all the curiosity of the school is centred in me.”

“How can you be so foolish ?” said Philip Graham,
a tall, slender boy, fourteen years of age, with an un-
commonly sedate countenance, small light blue eyes,
and rather a precise air. “To-morrow is time enough

to know. What difference can one day make ?”
“Oh! Phil would not condescend to be curious,”
said Bob Newton ; “it is too undignified for him.”