A fourth method, indeed, was used in the school, but of too simple a kind to require a comment.  It may be called the vicarious method, obtained amongst big boys of lazy or bullying habits, and consisted simply in making clever boys whom they could thrash do their whole vulgus for them, and construe it to them afterwards; which latter is a method not to be encouraged, and which I strongly advise you all not to practise.  Of the others, you will find the traditionary most troublesome, unless you can steal your vulguses whole (experto crede), and that the artistic method pays the best both in marks and other ways.

The vulguses being finished by nine o’clock, and Martin having rejoiced above measure in the abundance of light, and of Gradus and dictionary, and other conveniences almost unknown to him for getting through the work, and having been pressed by Arthur to come and do his verses there whenever he liked, the three boys went down to Martin’s den, and Arthur was initiated into the lore of birds’ eggs, to his great delight.  The exquisite colouring and forms astonished and charmed him, who had scarcely ever seen any but a hen’s egg or an ostrich’s, and by the time he was lugged away to bed he had learned the names of at least twenty sorts, and dreamed of the glorious perils of tree-climbing, and that he had found a roc’s egg in the island as big as Sinbad’s, and clouded like a tit-lark’s, in blowing which Martin and he had nearly been drowned in the yolk.

CHAPTER IV—­THE BIRD-FANCIERS.

     “I have found out a gift for my fair—­
     I have found where the wood-pigeons breed;
     But let me the plunder forbear,
     She would say ’twas a barbarous deed.”—­Rowe.

     “And now, my lad, take them five shilling,
     And on my advice in future think;
     So Billy pouched them all so willing,
     And got that night disguised in drink.”—­Ms. Ballad.

The next morning, at first lesson, Tom was turned back in his lines, and so had to wait till the second round; while Martin and Arthur said theirs all right, and got out of school at once.  When Tom got out and ran down to breakfast at Harrowell’s they were missing, and Stumps informed him that they had swallowed down their breakfasts and gone off together—­where, he couldn’t say.  Tom hurried over his own breakfast, and went first to Martin’s study and then to his own; but no signs of the missing boys were to be found.  He felt half angry and jealous of Martin.  Where could they be gone?

He learnt second lesson with East and the rest in no very good temper, and then went out into the quadrangle.  About ten minutes before school Martin and Arthur arrived in the quadrangle breathless; and catching sight of him, Arthur rushed up, all excitement, and with a bright glow on his face.

“O Tom, look here!” cried he, holding out three moor-hen’s eggs; “we’ve been down the Barby road, to the pool Martin told us of last night, and just see what we’ve got.”