Chums: a tale for the youngsters. Illustrated, etc

Front matter

CHUMS UNIFORM IN SIZE AND PRICE WITH THIS VOLUME. 5 s. each, or with gill edges $s. 6d., illustrated by eminent Artists. ADVENTURES OF HANS STERK, The South African Hunter and Pioneer. By Colonel Drayson, Author of " The Gentleman Cadet," &c. "From first to last, it is full of lifeand variety, and will also give boys some knowledge of the people of South Africa and their mode of life." — Nonconformist. THE GENTLEMAN CADET : His Career and Adventures at the Royal Academy, Woolwich. By Lieut. -Colonel Drayson. WILTON OF CUTHBERT'S : A Tale of Undergraduate Life Thirty Years Ago. By the Rev. H. C. Adams. HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES; or, The Adventures of Three Boys in South Africa. By the Rev. H. C.Adams. Second Edition. HOME LIFE IN THE HIGHLANDS. By Lilias Graeme. With illustrations by C. O. Murray.

"A charming book; the real highland atmosphere breathes throughout; the descriptions have all the effect of being taken from the life." — Athenæum. JOHN DEANE OF NOTTINGHAM, His Adventures and Exploits: a Tale of the Times of William of Orange and Queen Anne. By W. H. G. Kingston. New Edition. " Full of exciting adventures, capitally told."— Literary Churchman. OUT ON THE PAMPAS ; or, The Young Settlers. By G. A. Henty, Author of " The Young Franc Tireurs," &c. THE YOUNG FRANC TIREURS, and their adventures during the Franco Prussian War. Second Edition. By G. A. Henty, Special Correspondent of the Standard. " Abounds with thrilling adventures and hairbreadth escapes, and when once begun will be eagerly read to its close." — Daily Review. TALES OF THE SARACENS. By Barbara Hutton. TALES OF THE WHITE COCKADE.

By Barbara Hutton. |' A most pleasant and well-written narrative of the Stuarts in their exile " Times. " A history as romantic as any novel." — Saturday Review. GRIFFITH & FARRAN, WEST CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD LONDON. Frontispiece. " THE UNFORTUNATE BOY CAME TUMBLING HEAD FOREMOST." P.lge i. CHUM S : A TALE FOR THE YOUNGSTERS. BY HARLEIGH SEVERNE, AUTHOR OF "LITTLE HARRY GWYNNE," ETC, ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY FURNISS. GRIFFITH AND FARRAN, SUCCESSORS TO NEWBERY AND HARRIS, CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON. MDCCCLXXVIII. [ The Rights of Translation and of Reproduction are Reserved. ] TO ANY LITTLE SCAMP WHO MAY SEE HIMSELF REFLECTED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES,— THOUGH NOTABLY TO HIS SMALL NEPHEW, maWtv — THIS STORY OF CHILDHOOD'S DAYS IS DEDICATED EY THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. Eavesdroppers i II.

Chapter I. Eavesdroppers

" My eye, Harry ! there's sich a leetle new fellow come. If you come here, and squinny through the crack of the door, you'll jest be able to see him." I pricked up my ears at once. Evidently there were others interested in my entrance into school-life besides the two ladies seated at the far end of the* room, who were so vigorously plying my ex-nurse Susan with all manner of questions as to my welfare, past, present, and suture. Evidently, too, as well from the hushed tone of voice as from his suggested mode of beholding the new-comer, the speaker was desirous of concealing the presence of himself and his companion from the knowledge of those within. Having grown tired of my attempt to follow the conversation going on across yonder, little of which I either understood or cared for, I had retired into the background, with a view of discovering something with which to amuse myself during the uninteresting proceedings.

As I looked round, I caught sight of the piano, which at once became an object of irresistible attraction. But the scamper of feet along the hall, and the sudden B CHUMS. 2 cessation of the sound just outside the door, diverted my attention into another channel in time to overhear the remark on my personal appearance, and the stifled giggling which followed it. Oh dear ! how my heart sank ! And yet not so much from the words as from the crushing emphasis with which the monosyllable " sich " was uttered. For in his desire to be justly impressive, the speaker expressed his ideas in a series of mispronunciations. The tone of his voice, and the prolonged pauses on certain words, gave me such a gloomy and despairing idea of my appearance that I almost began to cry. I was not more than six or seven years old, when, owing to domestic troubles, my father arranged to send me to a neighbouring boarding-school.

My mother was dead, and my faithful old nurse — at least she seemed old to me in those days — was going to be married. My little bit of life so far had been very peaceful, though somewhat uneventful ; no brothers, no sisters, no companions, except my dear old Susan in the day-time, and my father for a short happy hour in the evenings. How I loved those pleasant times when I sat by his side in my high chair at the tea-table, and confided to him all my joys and sorrows of the day-time ! With a relish undiminished by a previous consumption in the nursery, I plodded away at my bread and butter and jam, or drank my milk, and thought myself a little man because it was faintly coloured with tea, and flavoured with a lump of sugar, just like Father's. And even if the quantity of tea was much less in mine than in his, it was made all fair and square ; for had I not much the largest piece of sugar ?

Sometimes I overheard Father and Susan talking earnestly together about her going away; and every now and then came the words " Aunt Mary," and " Mother," and " Never ! " But I was too young to understand what they said ; only once the look on Father's face, when they were so engrossed as to forget my presence, startled me so much that I burst into a storm of sobs, for which I could give no reason except that I was frightened, and felt lonely and neglected when they took no notice of me. Father's face changed at once, and catching me up in his arms, he said hurriedly to Susan, — - " The little fellow begins to take in more than we imagine ; we must not forget ourselves again." After that, they never spoke of " Aunt Mary," before me. When the day came for me to leave home, and my boxes were packed, and all ready to put on the cab, it was only the parting with Father that seemed so dreadfully hard and miserable.

For it was nice to think that I should have a lot of little boys to play with, particularly when I had in my possession a box full of beautiful new books, and toys of all kinds. And then Susan was going with me ; and though she would come away again at once, yet, in my childish fancy, even a few hours were too far ahead to look forward to so grievous a parting. First of all, there was the railway journey to enjoy; against any drawbacks to which I was well provided, by an ample supply of sandwiches and Banbury cakes. Had I formed then any idea of how long a half-year really was, or guessed how many, many times I should yearn to see my father's face again, and to sit and talk to him as of yore, I think my child's heart would have broken with its weight of woe. But a merciful Father in Heaven, guiding all things rightly, hides the light from our eyes until we are strong enough to bear it, and gives not to a child to know the mysteries of life, until his increasing years shall enable him to bear its burden.

Though the delights and trials of childhood may be as great and as deep as those of later years — sometimes I think they are more so — yet it is because they pass away so quickly, that b CHUMS. 4 they are so entirely different from the lasting joys and troubles of after-life. Therefore, though I cried, and clung round my father's neck, beseeching him, with choking sobs, not to send me away from him, and declaring wildly that I should die of grief, yet by the time the train was fairly on its way, I was seated in a corner of the carriage, plying Susan with questions faster than she could answer them — which fact did not tend to decrease my inquiring interest in the country through which we passed. But my flow of language dried up suddenly, when, having left the train and driven for some way through narrow country lanes, we pulled up at the stone-pillared porch of a large house, standing some way back from the road.

Scarcely had the bell ceased ringing, when, through the wide open door, I saw, coming hastily towards us, a nice motherly-looking old lady in a white cap, wearing a light shawl loosely thrown over her shoulders. Susan was superintending the getting down of my wonderful little play-box, whilst I stood helplessly looking on, thinking ruefully of all the scenes through which I should have to pass, and of which this meeting with the old lady was the first, and perhaps the least disagreeable. " So this is my new little boy, is it ? " she said, before she quite reached me. Then, stooping down, she kissed me kindly on both cheeks. As she rose, she held out her hand to Susan, saying, "And I think he will be my smallest, too." " ' Little and good,' you know, dear," turning to me again. " Is that to be it ?

" Then, taking me by the hand, she led the way into the drawing-room. Before we had been there two minutes, in came a tall black haired young lady, with fresh-coloured cheeks, and dark, merry eyes. Almost before I noticed her entrance, she pounced quickly upon me, picked me up by my arms, and holding me to the level of her face, kissed me warmly, exclaiming, — "Well, you are a nice little manikin ! I know I shall like you, and you will have to love me very much ? will you promise ? " After giving me a playful shake, she set me on my feet once more, leaving me too scared to make any reply. " There, child, you have frightened the poor little fellow out of his wits ! " said Mrs. Royce, reprovingly ; but with a smile which plainly showed that her daughter seldom, or never, fell under the ban of her serious displeasure.

" Just come and talk to his nurse, my dear ; she has not long to stay here." So it came about, as already related, that, left for a time to my own devices, I had wandered over to that part of the room where stood the piano. Oh, how fond I was of music ! All the more so, perhaps, because it was so rare an occurrence for any one to play on our great " grand " at home, that the novelty added zest to the enjoyment. Accordingly I was on the point of raising the lid, just far enough to slip my fingers underneath and stealthily touch the keys, when the incident occurred which opens this chapter. I felt very uncomfortable at being frustrated in my designs, with the knowledge of the four bright eyes scanning me, and the sound of low voices making free and easy observations upon the occupants of the room.

As detection appeared im probable, the spirits of the two boys rose to a more boisterous level. Presently, with an audible titter, the more daring of the two gave his companion a sudden and unexpected push. Being at that moment engaged in peering through the crevice of the door, he was totally unprepared to receive such a shock. The result was, that, with a loud crash, the door flew wide open, and the unfortunate boy came tumbling headforemost into the room, almost at my very feet. Finding that his joke had gone further than was intended, his companion turned tail, and fled away as fast as his legs CHUMS. would carry him. Before, however, his deserted partner in guilt could rise from his knees, he was seized, and held in custody by the dark-haired young lady who had endeavoured to make friends with me.

It was my turn to laugh at him now, for the poor little fellow presented a most ludicrous appearance on being led ignominiously forward to make his bow to company. Terrified at his position, and half inclined to cry, he still seemed on the verge of going off into a fit of laughter ; a combination which gave to his freckled face and merry blue eyes an expression difficult to describe, but exceedingly absurd to behold. " Here is one of the culprits, Mother," said Miss Royce, loosening her grasp on his coat collar, and running her hand through the masses of brown hair growing in a profusion of short curls upon her captive's head. " What is to be done with him ?" " I will leave him entirely to your tender mercy, my dear," replied Mrs. Royce, smiling. Then, turning again to Susan, she proceeded with her inquiries about me and mine.

" Oh ! please miss, I couldn't help it — indeed I couldn't : Johnnie Harris pushed me ;" and the little boy lifted to his teacher's face two eyes dim with half-formed tears. But the words were accompanied by a peculiar twitching in the corners of the lips, and a look of amusement through the tear-dimmed eyes, which seemed to say, " I know you too well to be afraid of you. You're laughing at me all the time, I believe, only you won't show it." " Well, I will let you off this once. But, mind, if you are caught eaves dropping again—" and Miss Royce allowed a suggestive silence to supply the remainder of the sentence ; and then continued, " You are the very boy I wanted. Here is such a nice little fellow come to school, and I want you and him to be ever such good friends, for you will be the two youngest and smallest, you know.

Though I scarcely know which is the shorter of you two." " Oh, he is — much ! " put in my new friend, in a tone of injured dignity, quite forgetting his recent discomfiture in his anxiety to prove his assertion. "Just see," he added, placing his back against mine, and feeling the respective levels of our heads, " why, I am nearly half a head taller than he is." " Yes, you certainly are taller. You won't be the ' little one ' any longer, now." " All the better ! " stoutly replied the boy ; adding naively, as though it were a sudden afterthought, " only you'll let me carry the clothes upstairs on Saturday nights still, won't you?" "We shall see. But now take your little friend round, and give him a swing, before the others are out of school. Mind you are kind, and don't swing him any higher than he wishes."

For a moment I thought I would not leave Susan, to go away with a stranger ; but he put out his hand so reassuringly, and said in so kind and winning a tone, " Come along with me, then," that my scruples vanished, and away I went. When we were alone, the restraint of shyness soon wore off, and before long we were talking as volubly as seven-year old children generally do. " I say, though, what's your name ? " inquired my patron suddenly, stopping, and looking me fully in the face with an air of great impressiveness, " 'cause, you know, one ought to know who one is talking to." " Bernard Ayres," I replied, " and yours is Harry something or-other, isn't it ? " "Yes, Harry Morland. But every one calls me 'Harry;' because, you know, there isn't any other. Now there are two or three ' Johnnies ; ' there's Johnnie Harris — he's the one that nearly got me into a row just now — and Johnnie Freeman, and Smedley too.

Then there's Sam Camp — we all call him 'the Scamp ' 'cause that is his name, don't you see ? And, oh my ! CHUMS. he is a onner, too. He and I have no end of fun on ' tub nights.' You heard me asking Miss Royce about it, didn't you . We're all ' tubbed ' in the kitchen on Saturdays, and then the youngest, and one of the first-class chaps, always carry the clothes up into the bedrooms, and run up to fetch the dressing gowns down, after each fellow has used it to go upstairs in. When it is the Scamp's turn, we do have fine sprees along those lobbies, I can tell you ! " So he rattled on, whilst I listened, and tried hard to take in the substance of his meaning, but with only partial success. Wondering as to what sort of person S. Camp the ' onner ' must be, I sat myself in the swing, and soon forgot everything in the pleasure of the passing moments.

Distant shouts, however, proclaimed the approach of a number of noisy-voiced boys, and just as my companion called out, " Hullo ! the fellows are out of school ! " the leader of the rush appeared round the corner, almost running against the swing in his anxiety to be the first to reach it. Evidently he was not expecting to find it already occupied, and for one moment he stood irresolute, with his hand upon the rope. By this time, the other boys, quieted for the moment by the sight of a stranger, had gathered round in silence. " It's the new boy ! " said a boy in a loud whisper to his neighbour. " Is it ? " replied the other. " What a little mite of a fellow he is ! " " How on earth did you get here, Harry ? " asked Willie Knowles, who stood with his back against the wall, tilting his hat over his eyes to shade them from the noonday glare of the sun.

" Why, Miss Royce sent me out to give Bernard Ayres a swing," replied my friend, proud to be able to inform his audience that he alone was possessed of the knowledge of my name. " Well, whoever he is, he'll have to turn out of it now, for I ' bagged ' the swing before any one else this morning, and I mean to have it too. So out you go, young 'un ! " Saying which, the boy who had seized the rope caught hold of the seat, and with one quick turn of his hand sent me sprawling out upon the ground. It was not far to fall. So low, indeed, was the seat fixed, that the usurper had to bend almost double in order to readjust it. Doubtless the rude shock to my feelings, more than the actual physical hurt, would have resulted in an overflow of tears, had not the strange proceedings of Harry Morland diverted my attention as I rose slowly from the ground.

With his freckled face aglow, and his tongue between his teeth, he rushed upon the unsuspecting object of his wrath, and with a " Take that, you great bully, Rogers ! and that ! — and that ! " he brought his doubled-up fist down three times upon the other's back, with a vehemence which showed how much in earnest he really was. Rogers raised himself with an angry exclamation, and started off in pursuit of the attacking party. But, fearful of losing his swing after all, he pulled up before he had gone many feet, contenting himself by bawling savagely across the yard, — " By Jove ! young 'un, I will give you a tanning for that, by> and-by ! "

Chapter II Forks

— OR FEELINGS? Some of the boys had cried, "Shame !" at Rogers' unkind conduct, whilst others had applauded my avenger with sundry cries of, "Well done, Harry boy !"—" Bravo, youngster!" and a chuckling laugh of approval ; but all in a covert, half hearted way, as though the incident had led them into an expression of opinion, which, though universally shared, was seldom openly pronounced. Harry, having so publicly proclaimed himself my champion, now returned to my side, and calling to Johnnie Harris to join us, led me away for further explorations. "That fellow Rogers is a horrid bully. No one likes him, do they, Jack?" " I should say not— I hate him ! " relumed Johnnie Harris, warmly. " Swinging is all the rage just now," continued Harry, expla natorily. " There always are ' rages ' for certain things, at different times, in every school, you know, — oh, no ! you don't though, 'cause you've never been to school before, you said : and then if one chap says, ' I bag ' something, before any one else, he has to have it the first, do you see ?

" "And the one who says, ' I bag second,' gets the next turn," chimed in Jack, who evidently understood and followed up the train of thought suggested by, rather than expressed in, Harry's words, veiy much more easily than I did. " But never you mind what Bully Rogers says to you — only don't let him knock you about too much. If you pretend net to care, he'll soon give over." " He didn't hurt you ? " interrupted Harry, though the inquiry came rather late. " N — o — o. Not — much," I answered slowly, trying to speak cheerfully. But at the prospect of a renewal of such treatment in the future, a rising sensation in my throat caught my voice, and rendered it very shaky, in spite of all my attempts to steady it. " Bless you ! Harry, he is such a little chap, — anything's enough to hurt him ! " responded Johnnie Harris, in a tone of dignified compassion.

"But I shall grow out of that by-and-by, shan't I?" I asked innocently, but with some anxiety about my personal appearance. " Oh, yes, — by-and-by ! " laughed Johnnie, Just then a brilliant idea on the part of little Morland put fresh thoughts into all our heads. " Come and see the white mice," he said. I was conducted by my two guides to an outbuilding, out of sight, but within sound of the boys at the swing. Here all the live stock belonging to any of the pupils were provided with comfortable quarters. To reach the door, you had to pass through a little open space^nclosed by a thick laurel hedge. This was used for the animals' exercising-ground ; and here, eagerly watching the movements of a large white rabbit, we discovered a little fellow named Mat Davis. " I can't think what ever is the matter with old Silky ; she doesn't care a bit for these carrot-tops.

I believe the Scamp must have done something to her, when he fed her this morning,'' said her young master, rising from his squatting CHUMS. 12 attitude, and looking at Harry with a puzzled expression on his face. "Hullo !" he exclaimed, as he suddenly became aware of my presence, " who — " Here he stopped abruptly, and stooping down hastily, caught poor bunny up by her long lop ears, and began to caress her affectionately. He was a gentle, shy boy, who was easily put out of countenance by the presence of a stranger, even though he were of such modest pretensions as myself. " This is the new boy— Bernard Ayres," explained Harry, evidently considering the duty of introduction his by acquired right. "We are going to show him the white mice and guinea pigs and things," added Johnnie Harris, anxious to share in doing the honours of the place to the new boy.

So the cage was brought out, and placed upon a convenient bench. Just at first, never having seen any previously, I was horrified at the way in which the two boys handled their pets. However, that feeling soon wore off, and I begged to be allowed to hold one of them in my hand. But the mouse was restless, and slipped out of my hand, in spite of the desperate squeezing by which I tried to detain it in my grasp. The next moment I felt it crawling up my sleeve, and, with a terrified cry, wildly attempted to shake it off my arm. Fortunately Mat Davis saw the danger, and ran to the rescue, laughing kindiy at my unnecessary fears, whilst he gently removed the cause of them back into its cage again. It was wonderful to see how tame and docile the mice were. They allowed their young masters to put them through every kind of exercise, without either attempting to escape, or ex pressing any objection to the performance, by the use of their sharp little claws or teeth.

They ran up and down a sloping board, passing and repassing on the proper sides ; they wore small impromptu horse collars, made from laurel-leaves ; they squeezed through tiny circles formed by the boys' fingers ; they even drew little card board waggons, loaded with pieces of bunny's turnips, chopped into the shape of potatoes, and covered with carrot-tops, repre senting cabbages, in imitation of a market-gardener's cart. These were sent from one to another to be unloaded, or reladen with a fresh stock of commodities, again and again, until at length the toy-horses began to show signs of fatigue. The programme was evidently more monotonous to them than to their owners, and, once or twice, the more rebellious did their best to escape into the laurels by the aid of a neighbouring bough. By-and-by they were permitted, after a short run on the ground, to return to their comfortable dwellings.

Then, having been supplied with a nut apiece for dessert, and their cotton-wool beds having been carefully shaken, they were left to enjoy their well-earned repose in undisturbed peace. The next place we visited was the pigeon-house ; but as this was fixed high up against the house, we had to content our selves with merely watching, without handling. Some young birds were just being fed — " squeakers," Harry said they were called. Most curious it was to see the father take his young ones' bills in his, and force the soft food from his breast down their hungry throats. For until the mother, flying up, drew off the attention of one of them, both the young pair, in their anxiety to be fed, had forced their rosy bills into his, and then such a struggle ensued, that amongst the excitement of the fluttering, and pumping, and wing-flapping, we expected every moment to see one or other of the three fall over.

Our attention was drawn off by an exclamation from Johnnie Harris. Looking up, we noticed, away in the distance, a little flock of pigeons, wheeling swiftly round and round, but flying in our direction. CHUMS. 14 "It's the tumblers coming home; just you watch them, young 'un ! " said Mat, putting his arm round my neck, and pointing upwards to the birds. Ever since he had taken the mouse off my arm, we had been gradually warming into a state of firm friendship. It was curious to notice what a fashion the boys had, from Willie Knowles, the eldest, downwards, of calling each other " youngster," or " young 'un ; " even Mat Davis and Harry Morland, neither of whom were much older than I, very fre quently used one or other of those expressions to me, with a lofty air of patronage. Sure enough, as we stood watching the pigeons, two of the birds suddenly dropped, in a series of somersets, to a distance of many feet in a straight line.

Then off they flew again, as though nothing had happened, to repeat the same performance as the fancy took them. " Don't they turn head over heels splendidly ? I wish I were a pigeon ; it must be such jolly fun ! " remarked Harry, his hands in his pockets, and his head thrown so far back that his Scotch cap fell off, and lay at his heels. " Sam — (" That's the Scamp, you know," interrupted Harry, addressing me.) — "Sam says that they get suddenly giddy, and can't help tumbling ; but / don't believe that, for they always look as though they enjoyed themselves tremendously, and keep on as though they thought it the best lark out," said Mat, pensively. " The best ' pigeon ' you mean,— not ' lark,' " cried Harry, laughing so heartily at his own very poor witticism, that we all joined in from sympathy.

Just then a bell rang out a loud peal. " Oh my ! it's dinner-time. Come along, kids ! " exclaimed Johnnie Harris. So the bright blue sky, the fleecy clouds, and the black specks floating about in it must be exchanged for the bluepapered walls, white tablecloth, and savoury odours of the dining-room. There was the sound of a sudden rush, now, along the path towards the house. Above it rose a shrill whistle, and clearing the ranks on either side, scuffling his feet, and working his arms like the connecting-rods of an engine, ran a boy, whose fat face and hatless head were crowned by a tangled mass of carroty hair. He passed us, uttering a succession of puffing, blowing noises, and with a speed which took him out of sight almost directly. " Sh— sh— sh— sh ! Whistle— whistle ! " came back to us across the air.