So, too, I have always been a man of few friends.  Ronnie has had many successors; but seldom more than one at a time.  I have never cared much for society.  My father and mother neither of them attached much importance to conventions, or to the fictitious values which society puts on clothes or money or position.  I have always looked rather for some one to admire, some one whose ideals and personality were congenial, whatever their position or occupation.  I have also, on the whole, always preferred comfort to show, simple to elaborate living.  This I trace to the simple comfort and naturalness of my old home.

II

SCHOOL

I went to a day school kept by Ronnie’s father when I was nine.  At least, it was a day school for me; but nearly all the boys were boarders.  I worked fairly hard, and got prizes.  I was fairly good at cricket, and not much good at football.  I had only one friend—­Ronnie—­and about two enemies, both of whom were day boys, and whom I should have liked to have fought if I had dared.  My memories of the school are few.  I best remember leaving home, and going back, and also playing cricket.  Ronnie’s father lives as a just and straightforward gentleman, who never caned a boy except for what was mean or dirty, and whom we all loved and respected.  But then I have known and loved him and his wife all my life.  If our house was a second home to Ronnie, theirs has always been a second home to me.

There was one master whom I liked, and who perhaps did something to develop my character.  He was fond of poetry and history, and from him I learnt—­an easy lesson for me—­to love history; but what is more, he first gave me a glimmering idea, which was to develop long after, that the classics are literature, and not torture.

I left there to go to Rugby.

Never did a boy enter Rugby with better chances.  The memory of my three brothers still lived in the house.  They had all achieved distinction in games, and been leading prefects (or sixths as they are called at Rugby) in the house.  Many masters remembered them for good, particularly Jacky, the housemaster, who had loved them all, especially Hugh.

In addition to this, one of the leading fellows in the house, who was afterwards to be captain of the school fifteen and cricket eleven, lieutenant in the corps, and one of the racquet pair, had been at my private school.  I shared a study with another fellow who had been at my private school.  Two boys accompanied me from there, one of whom was my next best friend to Ronnie.  His parents were in India, and he had spent some of his holidays with Ronnie and me.