Ernest Bracebridge | Page 9

have no doubt that you will rapidly
rise in the school."

Ernest thanked the Doctor, and in the forenoon went up with his new
class. He felt rather ashamed at finding himself among so many little
boys, and still more at the bungling, hesitating way in which they said
their lessons. They were just beginning Caesar. He found that he could
quickly turn it into English, but he took his dictionary that he might
ascertain the exact meaning of each word. The Doctor called up his
class that day, though he generally heard only the upper classes. Ernest
began at the bottom, but before the lesson was over he had won his way
to the top of the class.
"Very good indeed, Bracebridge," said the Doctor with an approving
smile; "you may read as much Caesar as you like every day. I will beg
Mr Johnson to hear you, and when you have got through it you shall be
moved into the next class."
Many of the boys thought this a very odd sort of reward, and were
much surprised to hear Ernest thank the Doctor for his kindness. They
would have considered it a greater reward to be excused altogether
from their lessons. Much more surprised were they to find Ernest
working away day after day at his Caesar, and translating as much as
Mr Johnson had time to listen to. He read on so clearly and fluently that
most of the boys declared that he must have known all about it before.
A few felt jealous of him, and tried to interrupt him; but he went
steadily working on, pretending to take no notice of these petty
annoyances launched at him. In the course of a fortnight he was out of
the class and placed in the next above it. This he got through in less
than a month, and now he found himself in the same with Buttar,
Dawson, and Bouldon. They welcomed him very cordially, though they
could not exactly understand how he managed so quickly to get among
them. The two latter, however, were especially indignant when they
discovered his style of doing his work.
"It's against all school morality," exclaimed Tommy, with a burst of
virtuous anger. "How should we be ever able to get through half our
lessons if we were to follow your plan? You must give it up, old fellow;
it won't do."
"I am sorry that I cannot, to please you," answered Ernest. "You see, I

want to read through all these books, that I may get to higher ones
which are more interesting; and then I want to get to College as soon as
possible, that I may begin life. Our days in this world are too short to
allow us to waste them. If I get through school twice as fast as any of
you, I shall have gained so many years to my life. That is worth
working for--is it not?"
"My notion is, that we should do as few lessons and amuse ourselves as
much as we can," answered Tom Bouldon. "When we are grown up
there will be time enough to think of employing time; I do not see any
use in looking forward to the future, which is so far off."
"What are we sent into this world for, do you think?" asked Ernest.
"I'm sure I don't know," answered Bouldon.
"To spend the money which is left us, or to go into professions to make
our fortunes," observed Dawson.
"I should think rather to prepare for the future," remarked Ernest. "So
my father has always told me, and I am very sure that he is right. We
are just sent into this world to prepare for another, and that preparation
is to be made by doing our duty to the best of our power in that station
of life in which we are placed. It is our duty when we are boys to
prepare for being men, by training our minds and bodies, and by laying
in as large a share of knowledge as we can obtain."
"Oh, that's what the saints say!" exclaimed Dawson, with a laugh. "We
shall very soon christen you the saint, Bracebridge, if you talk in that
way."
"I don't mind what you may call me," said Ernest, quietly; "I only
repeat what a sensible man has told me; I am very certain that he has
only said what he knows to be the truth."
Neither Dawson nor Bouldon would be convinced that Ernest was
talking sense, but Buttar, who was listening, drank in every word he
said. He had at first felt an inclination to patronise the new boy, but he

now tacitly acknowledged him as his superior in most respects, except
perhaps a small amount of the details of