_Harry._ These expressions of delight remind me of the story you read to me the other day, Sir, called _Agesilaeus and the Elastic Nobleman_. As TOMMY has not heard it I will---- But at this moment a vast assemblage of children on the stage, habited as soldiers, commenced the National Anthem at the top of their voices, which for the time put an end to further conversation. On quitting the theatre, TOMMY, who from having been in a state of the greatest elation had once more resumed the sober and saddened aspect with which he had listened to his tutor's discourse during the play, took HARRY aside, and declared to him, with tears in his eyes, that from that day forward he would never rest till he had made himself thoroughly acquainted with all the jokes in the English language, and had perfected himself in the art of constructing new ones. "Your determination, MASTER TOMMY," replied his young friend, "reminds me of the story of _Darius and the Corrugated Butcher_; but, as I am too fatigued to-night to remember its main features, I will defer the recital of it till to-morrow morning." TOMMY evinced a great curiosity to know whether there were in this tale any puns, upon which he might at once exercise his intelligence, but on HARRY'S repeating his promise, he allowed him to go to bed without further question. Being thus left to his own resources, TOMMY MERTON, in pursuance of his new resolution, went to the book-shelves and commenced a search which was not destined to be altogether fruitless. MR. BARLOW had scarcely been in bed two hours, when he was aroused from a most peaceful and refreshing slumber by a loud hammering and knocking at the door of his chamber. Unable to imagine what had happened, and, indeed, fearing lest the premises should have unfortunately caught fire, he was on the point of gathering together such articles of clothing as he considered strictly necessary, when TOMMY burst into the room half-undressed, and bawling out, "I've seen it! I've seen it!" "What have you seen?" asked MR. BARLOW. "Why, Sir," answered TOMMY, "I had a mind to discover, before I went to bed, what you meant by your two jokes at Astley's. So, Sir, I got down your book of _Joseph Miller's Jests_, a dictionary, and a grammar; and I find that the fun you had intended lies in the similarity of pronunciation in the case of the substantive _horse_ and of the adjective _hoarse_, and also in _feat_ and _feet_ possessing a like sound." "Well," said MR. BARLOW, pausing, with a boot-jack in hand, "you are indeed right. And if you will approach a little nearer----" But TOMMY, anticipating the purport of his revered tutor's invitation, had speedily withdrawn himself from the apartment, being careful at the same time to lock MR. BARLOW'S door on the outside. "To-morrow," said MR. BARLOW quietly to himself as he returned to his bed--"To-morrow we will talk over these things."