Oakdale grange Author:Thomas Simmons Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. MORE INTRODUCTIONS. THE CUREENT STILL EUPFLED. Tea being soon disposed of, at which Croft and Villars, being either at extreme ends of the tab... more »le, did not meet. All the scholars, of whom a considerable number had now assembled, left as usual for the large school-room, in which conversation was allowed a latitude which was not permitted at the table at meals. This evening was a kind of reunion. No studies having as yet been appointed, and the prospects of the quarter before them, together with the way in which the holidays had been spent, were soon somewhat loudly discussed. Lounging upon a desk near the fireplace, and in several other positions of ease, if not of much elegance, was a group of the seniors of the school, amongst whom were Sam Croft and Charlie Villars, the latter of whom had however only just joined the party. A coolness seemed to have arisen between these two which threatened to be very unpleasant, as they were occupants of the same bedroom; and being usuallysuch good friends, it began to be noticeable by the others. " Who knows whether Trelawney is coming back this half? " said a big brawny fellow, Tom Hastings, the senior of the school, as well as captain of most of the athletic sports. His speciality was rather amusement than study, and had it not been for his being so indifferent to progression in literary matters, he would some time previously have left for college, but his father still wished him to remain until the Doctor could feel assured of his fitness for the University. His age was twenty-two, very strongly built, dark, swarthy, but withal handsome features, and with all the school an exceptional favourite, such, in a few words, was Tom Hastings. " What! didn't you know he has been ill nearly all the holidays, laid up with som...« less