COLONNADE OF THE LOUVRE.
“I thank the boys of the first class for their letters and suggestions about the route to be decided upon. I think I have a plan that will be acceptable to you all. We will go first to Glasgow, will journey en zigzag to London; will there take the steamer for Antwerp, and will make a zigzag tour from Ghent to St. Malo, taking a glance at Belgium, a view of the whole of Normandy and the picturesque part of Brittany, including a visit to Paris and a view of its beautiful palaces and parks.
“As a preparation for this tour, I shall require the class to give special attention to the French language and to English and French history during the term.”
Every thing that Master Lewis said or did was popular with the boys, but no decision ever received more emphatic applause.
Tom Toby was busy at once, forming his secret society. He called a meeting of the boys on the evening of the very first schoolday, in his room. The Wynns entered willingly into his plan, and George Howe and Leander Towle warmly supported it. Frank Gray, however, treated the matter rather indifferently, a circumstance that Tommy quickly observed.
“The first question to be decided,” said Tommy, when the boys had met in his room, “is, Shall we organize a secret society?”
The Wynns asked Frank Gray his opinion.
“I should prefer to hold my opinion in reserve, until I understand what the object of the society is to be.”