“He’s in school,” replied Stephen.
“Hullo! what are you blubbering at?” cried the small boy, growing very bold and patronising all of a sudden, “eh?”
Stephen did not answer this home question.
“I suppose you are a new kid, just left your mammy?” observed the other, with the air of a man of forty; “what’s your name, young ’un?”
“Stephen Greenfield.”
“Oh, my! is it? What form are you in?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Haven’t you been examined?”
“No, not yet.”
“Oh, of course; old Senior’s away. Never mind, you’ll catch it to-morrow, blub-baby!”