The Triple Alliance

"Now, then," said Mr. Blake, looking up from his mark-book with a broad grin on his own face - "now, then, there's nothing to laugh at. - Look here," he added, turning to the new boy, "how d'you spell it?" Instead of being at all annoyed or disconcerted at the mirth of his class-mates, the youngster seemed rather to enjoy the joke, and immediately rattled out a semi-humorous reply to the master's question, - "D I G, dig; G O R Y, gory - Diggory: T R E, tre; VAN, van; O C K, ock - Trevanock." Then turning round, he smiled complacently at the occupants of the desks behind, as much as to say: "There, I've done all I can to amuse you, and I hope you're satisfied."