“Then catch this,” said Steve, throwing the bag as he spoke.
Alfred, being quite unused to the tricks of schoolboys—choir-boys are not a bit different from other boys—attempted to catch the bag, and the moment it reached his hands the water spurted all over his face and clothes. He was too much surprised to say anything, and Steve, who was a good-natured boy, after laughing at the success of his joke, wiped him with his handkerchief, and accompanied him and Walter, as he lived near them.
When Alfred had finished his tea he wrote home a long letter to his mother and sister, trying to make them feel quite happy about him. He hoped that in a few days he should like all the boys as much as he liked Walter and Stephen. Mrs. Dawson was very kind to him, and he went to bed feeling hopeful and happy.
The next morning, as he was walking up to the cathedral, the Rev. Mr. Young, the precentor, met him.
“You are the new boy, are you not?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,” replied Alfred.
“How are you getting on, my boy?”
“Very well, sir, thank you.”
“I shall inquire from time to time of Mr. Harmer to see how you progress in your work, and if you do well in your Latin, later on I will teach you Greek, if you think you would care to learn it.”
“Thank you, sir; I should very much like to.”