The mysterious looks of the other masters after breakfast, and the evident fact that old Cheeseman was not expected, confirmed the Society in this opinion.Some began to discuss whether the President was liable to hanging or only transportation for life, and the President's face showed a great anxiety to know which.However, he said that a jury of his country should find him game; and that in his address he should put it to them to lay their hands upon their hearts and say whether they as Britons approved of informers, and how they thought they would like it themselves.Some of the Society considered that he had better run away until he found a forest where he might change clothes with a wood-cutter, and stain his face with blackberries; but the majority believed that if he stood his ground, his father--belonging as he did to the West Indies, and being worth millions--could buy him off.
All our fellows' hearts beat fast when the Reverend came in, and made a sort of a Roman, or a Field Marshal, of himself with the ruler; as healways did before delivering an address.But their fears were nothing to their astonishment when he came out with the story that Old Cheeseman, "so long our respected friend and fellow- pilgrim in the pleasant plains of knowledge," he called him--O yes! I dare say! Much of that!--was the orphan child of a disinherited young lady who had married against her father's wish, and whose young husband had died, and who had died of sorrow herself, and whose unfortunate baby (Old Cheeseman) had been brought up at the cost of a grandfather who would never consent to see it, baby, boy, or man: which grandfather was now dead, and serve him right--that's my putting in--and which grandfather's large property, there being no will, was now, and all of a sudden and for ever, Old Cheeseman's! Our so long respected friend and fellow-pilgrim in the pleasant plains of knowledge, the Reverend wound up a lot of bothering quotations by saying, would "come among us once more" that day fortnight, when he desired to take leave of us himself, in a more particular manner.With these words, he stared severely round at our fellows, and went solemnly out.
There was precious consternation among the members of the Society, now.Lots of them wanted to resign, and lots more began to try to make out that they had never belonged to it.However, the President stuck up, and said that they must stand or fall together, and that if a breach was made it should be over his body--which was meant to encourage the Society: but it didn't.The President further said, he would consider the position in which they stood, and would give them his best opinion and advice in a few days.This was eagerly looked for, as he knew a good deal of the world on account of his father's being in the West Indies.
After days and days of hard thinking, and drawing armies all over his slate, the President called our fellows together, and made the matter clear.He said it was plain that when Old Cheeseman came on the appointed day, his first revenge would be to impeach the Society, and have it flogged all round.After witnessing with joy the torture of his enemies, and gloating over the cries which agony would extort from them, the probability was that he would invite the Reverend, on pretence of conversation, into a private room--say the parlour into which Parents were shown, where thetwo great globes were which were never used--and would there reproach him with the various frauds and oppressions he had endured at his hands.At the close of his observations he would make a signal to a Prizefighter concealed in the passage, who would then appear and pitch into the Reverend, till he was left insensible.Old Cheeseman would then make Jane a present of from five to ten pounds, and would leave the establishment in fiendish triumph.
The President explained that against the parlour part, or the Jane part, of these arrangements he had nothing to say; but, on the part of the Society, he counselled deadly resistance.With this view he recommended that all available desks should be filled with stones, and that the first word of the complaint should be the signal to every fellow to let fly at Old Cheeseman.The bold advice put the Society in better spirits, and was unanimously taken.A post about Old Cheeseman's size was put up in the playground, and all our fellows practised at it till it was dinted all over.
When the day came, and Places were called, every fellow sat down in a tremble.There had been much discussing and disputing as to how Old Cheeseman would come; but it was the general opinion that he would appear in a sort of triumphal car drawn by four horses, with two livery servants in front, and the Prizefighter in disguise up behind.So, all our fellows sat listening for the sound of wheels.But no wheels were heard, for Old Cheeseman walked after all, and came into the school without any preparation.Pretty much as he used to be, only dressed in black.
"Gentlemen," said the Reverend, presenting him, "our so long respected friend and fellow-pilgrim in the pleasant plains of knowledge, is desirous to offer a word or two.Attention, gentlemen, one and all!"Every fellow stole his hand into his desk and looked at the President.The President was all ready, and taking aim at old Cheeseman with his eyes.
What did Old Cheeseman then, but walk up to his old desk, look round him with a queer smile as if there was a tear in his eye, and begin in a quavering, mild voice, "My dear companions and old friends!"Every fellow's hand came out of his desk, and the President suddenly began to cry.
