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 "Dot a bit! Add yet there they would have kept us as stiff as a brace of pokers the whole of the evedidg! It wod't do Syl—I shall call you Syl, the whole of the dabe is too lodg for hubad utteradce. It isd't as if there was ady thidk goidg forward. If there were, it bight recodcile a fellow to hobe! But doe busic, doe cards, doe chess, doe backgabbod, doe gabe of ady sort do we ever have there; so if you expect any fud id our crib, you'll be buch disappoidted."

Sylvester never had expected much fun: but he certainly had expected more gaiety. He did not, however, allow the absence of it there to distress him. He had quite sufficient to amuse him then. The peculiarity of Tom's pronunciation was amusing, and as Tom was not contemptible as a humorist, and as he was, moreover, very communicative, Sylvester derived during his walk as much amusement as he could have desired.

They now reached the hospital, at the entrance of which groups of students were conversing on subjects which were not strictly of a scientific character.

"Hollo, Tob," cried one. "Here's Tob Delobe," said another. "Tob's always in tibe!" exclaimed a third.

"Is he at it?" inquired Tom of one of them.

"Yes, but it's dreadfully dry."

"Dry, is it? Well, thed, let's go add wet it."

This suggestion was adopted on the instant by half a dozen of them, who followed Tom into a public-house at hand, at the bar of which each of them called for a pot of porter. This order was, however, quite unnecessary. The bar-maid knew in a moment what they wanted, and, therefore, had they omitted to open their lips, she would have counted them and drawn a pot for each. She had had some practice at the bar, albeit still young and beautiful. She had been engaged solely as an attraction, and as an attraction she answered the purpose of her employer. She had a splendid head of hair, a pair of sparkling eyes, and a finely formed animated bust, and while her teeth were like pearls, her skin was soft and warm and clear. She was moreover, elegantly dressed, and displayed a profusion of jewellery. On almost every finger there were two or three rings, the whole of which had been presented to her by students—who were all of course desperately in love with her, and therefore, if she saw a decent ring upon the finger of any one of them, she had but to say, "What a love of a ring!" and it was hers.

Decoy-ducks are not at all rare birds in London, and this one has been mentioned only in order to show what influence they have over the minds of youth. Sylvester, on being appealed to, declared that he had never seen so amiable, so elegant a creature: her eyes were so fascinating, her smile was so lovely, she seemed so delighted with everybody and everything, she was so extremely affable, so free, that really Sylvester was charmed with her; but when she placed the pot of beer before him, he looked with an expression of amazement at Tom, and said, "Is this for me?"

"Of course it is, by boy!" replied Tom, "dridk it up."