It seemed rather a wearisome afternoon to the boy, used as he was to his open-air life, but he worked away with all his might; and presently the bell rang and work was over; and then Warren, the boy beside whom he had sat, came to him and held out his hand.
"I am first monitor of our form," he said, "and I hope that we shall be friends. If you come with me I will take you round the school."
Ralph turned as his name was called; his master stood there.
"I want you a few minutes. Warren, you can take him round afterwards. I want to arrange about his study."
"We have only got one vacant, sir," the monitor said. "Charlton has that."
"I know," was the quiet answer; and then, when Warren ran off, the master turned to Ralph.
"Rexworth," he said, "I must explain that in our form every two boys have one study between them, and as you heard Warren say, we have only one study that is not fully occupied. A lad named Charlton has it, and you must chum with him. It is about him I want to speak to you."
"Yes, sir," said Ralph, wondering why his master spoke so gravely.
"Rexworth, I am sorry to say that Charlton is not quite in favour with his schoolmates. His father got into some trouble and has disappeared--it is supposed that he is dead--and the boy managed to gain a scholarship at another and poorer school, and has come here. He is a real nice lad, but very weakly and timid, and the others put upon him, partly on that account, partly because of his father's disappearance, and partly because he is poor--a sad crime in the eyes of many. It would have been wiser, I think, if he had not come here, but Dr. Beverly wished him to do so. I wish, Rexworth, that you would try to be his friend, for he needs one; some of the lads are nice enough to him, but he seems so very much alone."
"I would like to help him, sir," was the ready answer. And the master smiled.
"I thought that I was not mistaken in you," he said. "Look, there the lad is. Charlton, come here."
The lad came up. He was a pale boy, very delicate in appearance, and with a sad, wistful face.
"Charlton, there is only one vacancy in our studies, and that is with you. Rexworth will have to chum with you." The boy cast a startled glance at Ralph. "Take him and show him where it is, and try to make him feel at home."