"Hallo, Jimmy!" shouted Bob, "how are you getting on? This is Charlie Powerscourt-a new boy. He's going to be in our room, so I've been wanting to introduce you. He's an awfully decent sort, and I'm sure you will like him."

I felt rather abashed at Bob's eulogy, and the colour rose into my cheeks, but the young duke soon put me at my ease by his warm greeting. "I'm glad I am going to be put with some decent chaps," he said. "I know you are all right, Bob, although I didn't think you would remember much about me. And Powerscourt here looks game, so I am sure we are in for a good time."

The three of us were soon talking together as if we had known each other all our lives, so that the time passed quickly, especially for me, and the day came to an end almost before I had time to realise it. After supper, Mr. Percival read prayers and our youthful company was told off to the dormitories.

The room assigned to us was in the east wing, and situated right at the end of a corridor, being at some distance from the other sleeping-apartments. "I was put here," Bob explained, "being the oldest boy in the school, and Mr. Percival looks upon me as a sort of monitor. We are never disturbed here, as old Percival trusts me to see that everything goes on properly, and I have never given him any cause for interference by kicking up a shindy; so, as I am in charge, you will know how to conduct yourselves. There is one jolly thing about this room, which is that there are wooden shutters to the windows. Of course, we are not supposed to close them, but when we want to have some extra fun we can easily do so, and then we could keep the light on as long as we like. The windows face the stables too, so in any case there would be very little chance of the light being noticed."

The duke had undressed and got between the sheets in a wonderfully short space of time, and before Bob and I had nearly got our clothes off. "You chaps are as slow as tortoises," he shouted at us from the depths of his bed." Why don't you buck up? Or do you want to stick about there all night?"