The Doctor paused and looked round with a very fat smile, in the midst of a peculiar silence, till Mr Rebble at the other end said loudly,—
“Ha! ha! Excellent!” and there was now a loud burst of laughter.
I thought that I should not like Mr Rebble, but I saw that the Doctor liked his appreciation of his joke, for he smiled pleasantly, and continued,—
“Let me see. I think we have a pleasant little custom here, not more honoured in the breach than in the observance. Eh, Mr Rebble?”
“Certainly, sir, certainly,” said that gentleman, and the Doctor frowned at his leg, as he smoothed it down. But his face cleared directly.
“Er—rum!” he continued, clearing his voice. “Of having a brief cessation from our studies upon the advent of a new boy. Young gentlemen, you may close your books for to-day.”
There was a hearty cheer at this, and the Doctor rose, thrust his hand into his breast beside his white shirt-frill, then, waving the other majestically, he turned to me as the cheering ceased.
“Burr junior,” he said, “you can return to your seat.”
I stepped back, forgetting all about the daïs, and fell rather heavily, but sprang up again, scarlet with mortification.
“Not hurt? No? That’s right,” said the Doctor; and amid a chorus of “Thank you, sir! thank you, sir!” he marched slowly out of the great room, closely followed by Mr Rebble, while I stood, shaken by my fall, and half dazed by the uproar.