"I'm not going to spout," he said; "but boys must be boys, and there's no harm in a bit of fun, I for one have enjoyed it, and am much obliged to you for asking me; and now I call for a song." "Wildney! Wildney's song," called several. Wildney had a good voice, and struck up without the least bashfulness-- "Come, landlord, fill the flowing bowl Until it does run over Come, landlord, fill, etc." "Now," he said, "join in the chorus!" The boys, all more or less excited, joined in heartily and uproariously-- "For to-night we'll merry merry be! For to-night we'll merry merry be! For to-night we'll merry merry be! To-morrow we'll be sober!" While Wildney sang, Eric had time to think. As he glanced round the room at the flushed faces of the boys, some of whom he could not recognise in the dusky atmosphere, a qualm of disgust and shame passed over him. Several of them were smoking, and, with Ball and Brigson heading the line on each side of the table, he could not help observing what a bad set they looked. The remembrance of Russell came back to him. Oh, if Edwin could have known that he was in such company at such a place! And by the door stood Billy, watching them all like an evil spirit, with a leer of saturnine malice on his evil face. But the bright little Wildney, unconscious of Eric's bitter thoughts, sang on with overflowing mirth. As Eric looked at him, shining out like a sunbeam among the rest, he felt something like blood-guiltiness on his soul, when he felt that he was sanctioning the young boy's presence in that degraded assemblage. Wildney meanwhile was just beginning the next verse, when he was interrupted by a general cry of "Cave, cave." In an instant the room was in confusion; some one dashed the candles upon the floor, the table was overturned with a mighty crash, and plates, glasses, and bottles rushed on to the ground in shivers. Nearly every one bolted for the door, which led through the passage into the street; and in their headlong flight and selfishness, they stumbled over each other, and prevented all egress, several being knocked down and bruised in the crush. Others made for the taproom; but, as they opened the door leading into it, there stood Mr Ready and Mr Gordon! and as it was impossible to pass without being seen, they made no further attempt at escape. All this was the work of a minute. Entering the back parlour, the two masters quickly took down the names of full half the boys who, in the suddenness of the surprise, had been unable to make their exit. And Eric? The instant that the candles were knocked over, he felt Wildney seize his hand, and whisper, "This way; all serene;" following, he groped his way in the dark to the end of the room, where Wildney, shoving aside a green baize curtain, noiselessly opened a door, which at once led them into a little garden. There they both crouched down under a lilac tree beside the house, and listened intently.