It took some little self-persuasion, I must confess, to feel that it really was a triumph. I did think Tempest might have been on the look- out for me. I did not know where to go, or of whom to inquire my way. The boys I met either took no notice of me at all, or else stared so rudely at my hat and boots that I could not bring myself to accost them. At length I was beginning to think I had better march boldly to the first master's house I came to, when, as luck would have it, I stumbled up against my old travelling companion, who, having safely arrived a quarter of an hour before, was now prowling about on the look-out for old acquaintances. "Please," said I, "would you mind telling me the way to Mr Sharpe's house?" "Are you a Sharper then?" he inquired. "My word! what are we coming to? Why didn't you come up by the 'bus?" "I tried to," said I; "you wouldn't stop." "Jim's horses were a bit shy," said he, with a grin. "They can't be held in when they see a moke. You should have got in quietly, without their spotting you." I didn't like this fellow. He appeared to me to think he was funny when he was not. "Do you know if Tempest has come?" said I, hoping to impress him a little. "Who?" "Tempest--Harry Tempest. He's at Sharpe's too." "What sort of looking chap is he?" demanded the youth, who, I suspected, could have told me without any detailed description. "He's one of the seniors," said I; "he was in the reserve for the Eleven last term." "Oh, that lout? I hope you aren't a pal of his. That would about finish you up. If you want him, you'd better go and look for him. I don't know whether every snob in the place has come up or not." And he departed in chase of a friend whom he had just sighted. This was depressing. Not that I believed what he said about Tempest. But I had hoped that my acquaintance with my old schoolmate would redound to my own dignity, whereas it seemed to do nothing of the kind. Presently I encountered a very small boy, of chirpy aspect, whom I thought I might safely accost. "I say," said I, "which is Mr Sharpe's house?" "Over there," said he, pointing to an ivy-covered house at some little distance higher up the street. Then, regarding me attentively, he added, "I say, you'll get in a jolly row if he sees you in that get-up." "Oh," said I, feeling that the youngster was entitled to an explanation, "I'm an exhibitioner." "A who? All I know is he's down on chaps playing the fool. You'd better cut in on the quiet before they bowl you out in that thing," said he, pointing to my hat. That thing! True, I had not observed many hats like it, so far, at Low Heath; but that was probably because I had not encountered any other fellow-exhibitioner. Tempest knew more about the form than this kid. "Thanks," said I. "Mr Sharpe will know who I am." "Oh, all right," said he; "don't say I didn't tell you, that's all."