The Triple Alliance - Its trials and triumphs

Harold Avery

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The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Triple Alliance, by Harold AveryThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: The Triple AllianceAuthor: Harold AveryRelease Date: November 13, 2003 [eBook #10027]Language: EnglishChatacter set encoding: US-ASCII***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE***E-text prepared by Lionel G. Sear of Truro, Cornwall, England, and dedicated to the memory of R. F. Mudie, who won thebook used as the source for this e-text as Form II First Prize for the Summer Term in 1901 at the Seafield HousePreparatory School, Broughty Ferry, ScotlandTHE TRIPLE ALLIANCEITS TRIALS AND TRIUMPHSBy HAROLD AVERYCONTENTS.Chapter.I. A NEW BOY,II. THE PHILISTINES,III. DISCOMFITURE OF THE PHILISTINES,IV. THE SUPPER CLUB,V. CATCHING A TARTAR,VI. GUNPOWDER PLOT,VII. RONLEIGH COLLEGE,VIII. THIRD FORM ORATORY,IX. A HOLIDAY ADVENTURE,X. A SCREW LOOSE IN THE SIXTH,XI. SHADOWS OF COMING EVENTS,XII. THE WRAXBY MATCH,XIII. THE ELECTIONS,XIV. A PASSAGE OF ARMS,XV. THE READING-ROOM RIOT,XVI. THE CIPHER LETTER,XVII. DIGGORY READS THE CIPHER,XVIII. A SECRET SOCIETY,XIX. A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS,XX. SOWING THE WIND,XXI. REAPING THE WHIRLWIND,XXII. WHEN SHALL WE THREE MEET AGAIN?CHAPTER I.A NEW BOY."What's your name?""Diggory ...

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• Publié par: fiem
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 22
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Triple Alliance,
by Harold Avery
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at
no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever.
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the
terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: The Triple Alliance
Author: Harold Avery
Release Date: November 13, 2003 [eBook #10027]
Language: English
Chatacter set encoding: US-ASCII
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG
EBOOK THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE***
E-text prepared by Lionel G. Sear of Truro,
Cornwall, England, and dedicated to the memory of
R. F. Mudie, who won the book used as the source
for this e-text as Form II First Prize for theSummer Term in 1901 at the Seafield House
Preparatory School, Broughty Ferry, ScotlandTHE TRIPLE ALLIANCE
ITS TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS
By HAROLD AVERY
CONTENTS.
Chapter.
I. A NEW BOY,
II. THE PHILISTINES,
III. DISCOMFITURE OF THE PHILISTINES,
IV. THE SUPPER CLUB,IV. THE SUPPER CLUB,
V. CATCHING A TARTAR,
VI. GUNPOWDER PLOT,
VII. RONLEIGH COLLEGE,
VIII. THIRD FORM ORATORY,
IX. A HOLIDAY ADVENTURE,
X. A SCREW LOOSE IN THE SIXTH,
XI. SHADOWS OF COMING EVENTS,
XII. THE WRAXBY MATCH,
XIII. THE ELECTIONS,
XIV. A PASSAGE OF ARMS,
XV. THE READING-ROOM RIOT,
XVI. THE CIPHER LETTER,
XVII. DIGGORY READS THE CIPHER,
XVIII. A SECRET SOCIETY,XIX. A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS,
XX. SOWING THE WIND,
XXI. REAPING THE WHIRLWIND,
XXII. WHEN SHALL WE THREE MEET AGAIN?
CHAPTER I.
A NEW BOY.
"What's your name?"
"Diggory Trevanock."
The whole class exploded.
"Now, then," said Mr. Blake, looking up from his
mark-book with a broad grin on his own face
—"now, then, there's nothing to laugh at.—Look
here," he added, turning to the new boy, "howd'you spell it?"
Instead of being at all annoyed or disconcerted at
the mirth of his class-mates, the youngster
seemed rather to enjoy the joke, and immediately
rattled out a semi-humorous reply to the master's
question,—
"D I G, dig; G O R Y, gory—Diggory: T R E, tre;
VAN, van; O C K, ock—Trevanock." Then turning
round, he smiled complacently at the occupants of
the desks behind, as much as to say: "There, I've
done all I can to amuse you, and I hope you're
satisfied."
This incident, one of the little pleasantries
occasionally permitted by a class master, and
which, like a judge's jokes in court, are always
welcomed as a momentary relief from the
depressing monotony of the serious business in
hand—this little incident, I say, happened in the
second class of a small preparatory school,
situated on the outskirts of the market town of
Chatford, and intended, according to the wording
of a standing advertisement in the Denfordshire
Chronicle, "for the sons of gentlemen."
This establishment, which bore the somewhat
suggestive name of "The Birches," was owned and
presided over by Mr. Welsby, who, with an
unmarried daughter, Miss Eleanor, acting as
housekeeper, and his nephew, Mr. Blake,
performing the duties of assistant-master,
undertook the preliminary education of about adozen juveniles whose ages ranged between ten
and fourteen.
On the previous evening, returning from the
Christmas holidays, exactly twelve had mustered
round the big table in the dining-room; no new
faces had appeared, and Fred Acton, a big, strong
youngster of fourteen and a half, was undisputed
cock of the walk.
The school was divided into two classes. The first,
containing the five elder scholars, went to sit at the
feet of Mr. Welsby himself; while the second
remained behind in what was known as the
schoolroom, and received instruction from Mr.
Blake.
It was while thus occupied on the first morning of
the term that the lower division were surprised by
the sudden appearance of a new boy. Miss
Eleanor brought him into the room, and after a few
moments' whispered conversation with her cousin,
smiled round the class and then withdrew. Every
one worshipped Miss Eleanor; but that's neither
here nor there. A moment later Mr. Blake put the
question which stands at the commencement of
this chapter.
The new-comer's answer made a favourable
impression on the minds of his companions, and as
soon as the morning's work was over, they set
about the task of mutual introduction in a far more
friendly manner than was customary on these
occasions. He was a wiry little chap, with brighteyes, for ever on the twinkle, and black hair pasted
down upon his head, so as not to show the
slightest vestige of curl, while the sharp,
mischievous look on his face, and the quick,
comical movements of his body, suggested
something between a terrier and a monkey.
There was never very much going on in the way of
regular sports or pastimes at The Birches; the
smallness of numbers made it difficult to attempt
proper games of cricket or football, and the boys
were forced to content themselves with such
substitutes as prisoner's base, cross tag, etc., or in
carrying out the projects of Fred Acton, who was
constantly making suggestions for the employment
of their time, and compelling everybody to conform
to his wishes.
Mr. Welsby had been a widower for many years;
he was a grave, scholarly man, who spent most of
his spare time in his own library. Mr. Blake was
supposed to take charge out of school hours; he
was, as every one said, "a jolly fellow," and the fact
that his popularity extended far and wide among a
large circle of friends and acquaintances, caused
him to have a good many irons in the fire of one
sort and another. During their hours of leisure,
therefore, the Birchites were left pretty much to
their own devices, or more often to those of Master
Fred Acton, who liked, as has already been stated,
to assume the office of bellwether to the little flock.
At the time when our story commences the ground
was covered with snow; but Acton was equal to theoccasion, and as soon as dinner was over, ordered
all hands to come outside and make a slide.
The garden was on a steep slope, along the
bottom of which ran the brick wall bounding one
side of the playground; a straight, steep path lay
between this and the house, and the youthful dux,
with his usual disregard of life and limb, insisted on
choosing this as the scene of operations.
"What!" he cried, in answer to a feeble protest on
the part of Mugford, "make it on level ground? Of
course not, when we've got this jolly hill to go
down; not if I know it. We'll open the door at the
bottom, and go right on into the playground."
"But how if any one goes a bit crooked, and runs
up against the bricks?"
"Well, they'll get pretty well smashed, or he will.
You must go straight; that's half the fun of the
thing—it'll make it all the more exciting. Come on
and begin to tread down the snow."
Without daring to show any outward signs of
reluctance, but with feelings very much akin to
those of men digging their own graves before being
shot, the company set about putting this fearful
project into execution. In about half an hour the
slide was in good working order, and then the fun
began.
Mugford, and one or two others whose prudence
exceeded their valour, made a point of sitting down
before they had gone many yards, preferring to