for the rowing exhibition, Keating and Lawrence pointed out the various personages of the School. Mrs. Crashaw was especially interested in seeing Blanchard and Payne and other boys whom Edward had mentioned often in his letters.
The gymnasium filled rapidly; nearly all the floor-space was occupied with benches; only at the end was reserved a place for the performers; there were set up the rowing-machines, the parallel bars, the horizontal bar, and the inclined ladders.
The rattle of talk and laughter was suddenly submerged in applause; ten little First Formers, clad in white gymnasium suits and carrying, each one, a pair of tiny Indian clubs, emerged from the stairway at the left and trotted forward in front of the rowing-machines. Then they began swinging their clubs, all keeping time together, their small bare arms twinkling, their chests out, some of them with smiling faces, some of them serious and intent.
“The little dears!” exclaimed Mrs. Crashaw.
