"You are going in for the Orville?"
"Of course I am. I should have done that had they kept me at the second desk. I say, has it never come out who shot me?"
The boys shook their heads. It was a sore subject with them yet.
"I heard that Sir Simon offered a gold watch as a reward."
"So he did. But nothing turned up. Never mind, earl."
"I don't mind; why should I?" returned the earl. "No harm has come of it. I say, though, you can't think how kind the doctor and Miss Brabazon have been. If I were old enough I'd marry her."
This caused a laugh. The earl had the queerest way of bringing out things, keeping his own countenance as steady as could be all the while.
Dr. Orville, the founder of the college, had bestowed on it an exhibition at his death. It fell in at the end of every third year; and for three years gave seventy pounds a year to the boy who got it. It was open for competition to all unconditionally, no matter whether they were seniors or not; though of course none but seniors were sufficiently advanced to try for it; and the name of each competitor must lie on the books, as competitor, for one year previous to the trial. The boys called it familiarly the Orville Prize; in short, the Orville. The names had been just put down, several, for the probationary twelvemonth was on the eve of being entered; and, to the unspeakable indignation of the school, George Paradyne's was one. A new boy (leaving other things that some two or three of them knew of out of the question) who had but just come in, to thrust down his name indecently amidst the old pupils! This was said from mouth to mouth; and Trace had a sore battle with himself not to disclose the disgrace of the past.
The Head Master came into the hall and called up Talbot. The boy had been at home for a week or two, and only returned that morning.
"Are you feeling strong, my lad?"