2 Turnaside Cottage.

badly, and was much relieved when the master
passed me over without remark.

Tommy, however, did not escape so easily.

“fam ashamed of you, sir!” I heard the master
saying. “All these years that you have been
in my school, and to write no better than that!
How do you spell chalk, pray?” and he pointed
to one of the words on Tommy’s much-smeared
slate.

“ S-h-o-r-k, chalk !” replied Tommy, cheerfully.

“ For shame,” said the master. “Why, the smallest
boy in the school could answer better than that !
Come here, Erasmus Evans.” A little pale fellow,
with a large head, heavy eyes, and prominent fore-
head, came and placed himself beside the brown
and straight-limbed Tommy.

“There !” continued the master; “here is a boy,
not half your size, who can read and spell and do
everything ten times better than you. Look at “7s
slate !”

Iwas trembling all over for sympathy by this
time, and hardly knew whether to expect to see
Tommy burst into tears, or smash his slate on the
head of the provoking little Erasmus.

“Well done, Razzy, my boy,” said Tommy,
benignantly patting the rough, dusty-coloured hair
of his small schoolmate. “Go you on as you've