524



The Channings



above me. And I am not sorry," added the young
gentleman, sotto voce. " If the seniorship is a great
honour, it is also a great bother. Here, Channing, take
the keys."
  He flung them across the desk as he spoke; he was
proceeding to fling the roll also, and two or three other
sundries which belong to the charge of the senior boy,
but was stopped by the head-master.
  " Softly, Huntley ! I don't know that I can allow
this wholesale changing of places and functions."
  " Oh, yes, you can, sir," said Harry, with a bright
look. " If I committed any unworthy act, I should be
degraded from the seniorship, and another appointed.
The same thing can be done now, without the
degradation. "
  " He deserves a recompense," said Mr. Huntley to
the master. " But this will be no recompense; it is
Channing's due. He will make you a better senior than
Harry, Mr. Pye. And now," added Mr. Huntley, im-
proving upon the whole, " there will be no necessity
to divide the seniorship from the Oxford exhibition."
It was rather a free mode of dealing with the master's
privileges, and Mr. Pye relaxed into a smile. In good
truth, his sense of justice had been inwardly burning
since the communication made by Lady Augusta. Tom,
putting aside a little outburst or two of passion, had
behaved admirably throughout the whole season of
opprobrium; there was no denying it. And Mr. Pye
felt that he had done so.
  " Xill you do your duty as senior, Channing"
superfluously asked the master.
  " I will try, sir. "
  " Take your place, then."
  Mr. Huntley was the first to shake his hand when
he was in it. " I told you to bear up bravely, my bov!
I told you better days might be in store. Continue to
do your duty in single-hearted honesty, under God, as
I truly believe you are ever seeking to do it, and you
may well leave things in His hands. God bless you,
Tom ! "
  Tom was a little overcome. But Mr. Bywater made
a divertisement. He seized the roll, with which it was
no business of his to meddle, and carried it to Mr. Pye.