Another great resource on Leave-out days was a row on the river in one of Etheridge’s boats,—they were rather sorry tubs, but we managed to extract amusement out of them; if, in this particular line, “_militavi non sine gloriâ_,” I can’t say that my Winchester education had much to do with it. However, the most consummate master of the art of rowing that ever adorned Oxford always preferred to take raw hands and teach them to pull, to Eton or Westminster men, who came up to Oxford fancying themselves perfect already; and I am proud to say that among the immortal Seven of Henley there were two Wykehamists. I am indebted to the liberal hospitality of an esteemed relative for many very pleasant days, and especially for one, which was perhaps the jolliest I spent during the whole time I was at Winchester I received a letter from him one morning, informing me that on a given day he would pass through Winchester, and requesting me to furnish him with a list of boys to ask to dinner; accordingly I selected half a dozen, and we got leave out for the afternoon. He only stopped to change horses, (it was in the posting days,) and on his departure he told the landlord of the George to provide us with the best dinner he could, gave me a five-pound note, and a “tip” for all my friends. That was a specimen of the tip royal; how fervently we blessed him, and what a jolly dinner we had! Every alternate Sunday also we were allowed to spend the afternoon with friends in the town, if invited, but we had to be back for five o’clock chapel. Happy were those boys who were so fortunate as I was in being acquainted with Mr Sissmore, the patriarch of the College fellows, whose hospitable board was always surrounded on these days by a circle of boys, whom he used to amuse with stories of the pranks of their ancestors, as he remembered many of their grandfathers when little boys at school. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XIII. THE JUNIOR IN STANDING-UP WEEK. Standing-up—Commoners—Pealing. The last two weeks of the Long-half, which ended about the middle of July, were called respectively “Standing-up” and “Election-week.” The former was rather a time of trial for the Juniors, the latter for the Præfects and Senior part.