Doctor Jolliffe's Boys

by Lewis Hough________________________________________________________________This a very enjoyable book about life in a boy's boarding school in thelate nineteenth century. Despite school-rules, the boys get out ofbounds for a number of reasons, for instance visiting a forbidden tuckshop; engaging in various cruel country sports, like rat baiting; goingskating on a frozen lake, especially near the thin ice; poaching on alarge nearby estate; and suchlike attractions. 

Every scene is beautifully drawn, and I have wondered many times why theauthor did not write more, and indeed why this book is not more wellknown than it is. Until I found a copy in an old book shop I had neverheard of either the author or of the book. 

The characters of the various principal actors in the story are verywell drawn, and one feels one knows them all quite well by the end ofthe book. 

There was in fact another contemporary author of the same name, who wasan expert in economic and currency affairs, and who also wrote using, and about, a novel way of getting books printed. N. H. ________________________________________________________________

DOCTOR JOLLIFFE'S BOYS

BY LEWIS HOUGH

CHAPTER ONE. 

A TALE OF WESTON SCHOOL. 

WESTON _versus_ HILLSBOROUGH. 

"Well cut, Saurin, well cut! Run it out! Four!" The ball wasdelivered again to the bowler, who meditated a shooter, but being alittle tired, failed in his amiable intention, and gave the chance of ahalf-volley, which the batsman timed accurately, and caught on the rightinch of the bat, with the whole swing of his arms and body thrown intothe drive, so that the ball went clean into the scorer's tent, as ifdesirous of marking the runs for itself. 

"Well hit indeed! Well hit!"

The Westonians roared with delight, and their voices were fresh, forthey had had little opportunity of exercising them hitherto. Crawley, the captain of their eleven, the hero in whom they delighted, had beendeclared out, leg before wicket, when he had only contributed five tothe score. Only two of the Westonians believed that the decision wasjust, Crawley himself, and the youth who had taken his place, and wasnow so triumphant. But he hated Crawley, and rejoiced in hisdiscomfiture, even though it told against his own side, so his opinionwent for nothing. 

Well, no more did anybody's else except the umpire's, who after all isthe only person capable of judging. 

"Saurin has got his eye in; we may put together a respectable scoreyet. "

"He is the best player we have got, when he only takes the trouble;don't you think so?" said Edwards, who believed in Saurin with a faithwhich would have been quite touching if it had not been so irritating. 

"He thinks so himself at any rate, " replied the boy addressed, "and weare a shocking bad lot if he is right. Anyhow he seems to be in formto-day, and I only hope that it will last. "

The batsman under discussion hoped so too. If he could only make anunprecedented score, restore the fortunes of the day, and show the worldwhat a mistake it was to think Crawley his superior in anythingwhatever, it would be a glorious triumph. He was not of a patrioticdisposition, and did not care for the success of his school except as itmight minister to his own personal vanity and gain, for he had a bet ofhalf-a-crown on his own side. But his egotism was quite strong enoughto rival the public spirit of the others, and raise his interest to thegeneral pitch. 

The match between Weston and Hillsborough was an annual affair, andexcited great emulation, being for each school the principal event ofthe cricketing season. One year it was played at Weston and the next atHillsborough, and it was the Westonians' turn to play on their ownground on this occasion. 

Hillsborough went in first and put together 94 runs. Then Weston wentto the wickets and could make nothing of it. There was a certain left-handed Hillsburian bowler who proved very fatal to them; it was one ofhis twists which found Crawley's leg where his bat should have been. Result, eight wickets down for twenty, and then Saurin went in and madethe 9 we have witnessed. 

Between ourselves the cut was a fluke, but the half-volley was a genuinewell-played hit, which deserved the applause it got. The next ball camestraight for the middle stump, but was blocked back half-way between thecreases, and another run was stolen. 

"Over!"

The new bowler went in for slows. The first, a very tempting ball, Saurin played forward at, and hit it straight and hard into the hands oflong field on, who fumbled and dropped it, amidst groans and derisivecheers. 

Warned by this narrow shave he played back next time, and seemed tohimself to have missed a really good chance. This feeling inducedhesitation when the next ball was delivered, and the result ofhesitation was that the insidious missile curled in somehow over his batand toppled his bails off. Saurin was so much mortified as he walkedback to the tent that he could not even pretend to assume a jauntycareless air, but scowled and carried his bat as if he would like to hitsomeone over the head with it. Which, indeed, he would. 

There was one consolation for him, he had made ten, and that proved tobe the top score. 

For the first time within living memory Weston had to follow itsinnings!

Now when you consider that the presidents of Oxford and Cambridge Clubskept an eye on this match with a view to promising colts, you mayimagine the elation of the Hillsburians and the dejection of theWestonians when Crawley and Robarts walked once more to the wickets. Their schoolmates clapped their hands vigorously indeed, and some ofthem talked about the uncertainty of cricket, but the amount of hopethey had would not have taken the room of a pair of socks in Pandora'sbox. 

But Crawley was a bowler as well as a batsman, and Robarts was theWestonian wicket-keeper, so that both were somewhat fagged when theyfirst went in, whereas they were now quite fresh. Again, theHillsburian bowling champion found his dangerous left arm a littlestiff, and his eyesight not so keen as it had been an hour before. Oneis bound to find a cause for everything, so these may be the reasons whythe pair, after defending their wickets cautiously for an over or two, began to knock the bowling about in great style. 

"What a jealous brute that Crawley is!" said Saurin, sitting down byEdwards. 

"Awful!" replied Edwards, not at all knowing why, but following Saurinblindfold, as he always did. 

"I was the only one who made any stand in the first innings, and yet hedoes not send me in early. He will keep me to the last, I daresay. "

The wonderful stand spoken of had not lasted two overs, but Edwards onlyobserved:

"It's mean. "

"Not that I care, " said Saurin. 

"Of course not. "

"Only I do hate spite and jealousy. "

"He ought not to be captain. "

"Bah! the soft-spoken humbug; it's a wonder to me that fellows don't seethrough him. "

"It _is_ strange, " echoed the complacent Edwards. 

The number 30 went up amidst a storm of clapping, and Saurin relapsedinto prudent silence, but he thought "hapes, " like the Irishman's dumbparrot. The dinner-bell rang, the pair were not separated, and thescore stood at 50. 

"It will be a match yet, " was the general opinion on the Weston side, and their opponents also thought that the affair did not look quite sucha certainty, and agreed that they must not throw a chance away, thoughthey hoped much from dinner, which sometimes puts a batsman off hisplay, the process of digestion inducing, especially in hot weather, acertain heaviness which impairs that clearness of brain necessary fortiming a ball accurately. At the same time the bowlers would get a goodrest, and the left-handed artist, who had been acting as long-stop, might reasonably be expected to regain his cunning. True that themidday meal tells most upon the field, which very generally growssluggish after eating: but the Hillsborough boys fancied that would notmatter so much, if they could only separate those two. 

But "those two" had a due sense of their responsibilities, and ate avery moderate meal, which they washed down with nothing stronger thanwater. They also played very careful cricket on first going in again, and risked nothing until they had got their hands in. _Item_, Crawleyhad mastered the left-handed bowler's favourite ball, and by playingvery forward hit it away before it took the dangerous twist. It lookedvery risky, and the Hillsborough wicket-keeper was in constant hope ofstumping him, but he never missed, and scored off every ball of thatsort which came to him. When the same twisters came to Robarts heplayed back, contenting himself with simply guarding his wickets with anupright bat. 

Altogether the two put 85 together before Robarts was caught at point. 

As they were going in to dinner Crawley had said to Saurin:

"You go in the first wicket down. You showed good form in the firstinnings, and it was a very unlucky ball that settled you so soon. Butyou will have a good chance again presently. " Which speech had theunintended effect of making Saurin more exasperated than ever. "Confound his patronising!" he said to himself; but he could not findany excuse for any audible utterance except the conventional "Allright, " and he now drew on his gloves, took up his bat, and issued fromthe tent. 

"Play careful cricket, Saurin, " said Robarts as he passed him; "thegreat thing is to keep Crawley at the wicket as long as we can. "

"A likely story!" he thought to himself as he strode across the turf, "to make myself a mere foil and stop-gap for that conceited brute! NotI. " Far from practising the abstinence of the other two, he had eatenas much as he could stuff and drunk all the beer he could get, and this, combined with resentment at Robarts' words, caused him to go in forslogging just to show that he was not to be dictated to. 

The first ball he got he hit as hard as he could, and well on to theground, but it was cleverly stopped before a run could be made. Thesecond he sent into the hands of the fielder standing at mid-wicket, whostuck to it, fast as it came, and threw it up amidst the cheers of hisfriends. Saurin stalked away with his duck's egg. 

Four more wickets fell before Crawley was run out, by which time he hadscored 90 off his own bat, the total standing at 150. Thirty more wasadded before the Westonians were all out, and the score stood--firstinnings, 40; second, 180; total, 220, against 94. So that Hillsboroughnow had to make 126 to tie, and 127 to win. 

It was a good match; anybody's game. During the remainder of theafternoon Saurin behaved disgracefully. His temper had completelymastered him, and he was sulky and careless to an extent which made evenEdwards ashamed for him. He let balls pass with hardly an attempt tostop them, picked them up and threw them in in a leisurely manner, whichgave more than one run to the other side, and showed such indifferencethat he was hissed. 

For every run was of importance. The fact was that Weston that year wasdecidedly weak in the bowling, Crawley being the only one to be dependedupon, and he could not be kept at it for ever; and, though the fieldinggenerally was good, the Hillsburians scored fast. At seven o'clock theywere 100 for seven wickets, and the excitement was very great whenCrawley, who had had an hour's interval, went on once more to bowl. 

His first ball was cut for five. His second took the middle stumpclean. His third came back into his hands. His fourth, the nastiest ofshooters, glided under the bat into the wicket. Three wickets in threeconsecutive balls--something like a sensational over!

The match was over, and Weston had won by 21 runs. 

There could be no doubt to whom the victory was due, and Crawley waspounced upon, hoisted, and carried home in triumph amidst the mostenthusiastic cheering. 

"All right!" he said, colouring and laughing as they put him down; "I amglad we won, but that last ball was the most awful fluke I ever made inmy life. I lost my balance as I delivered it, and nearly came down. Totell the truth, I feared it would be wide, and could hardly believe myeyes when I saw the bails off. "

One would have imagined that Saurin's evil genius was taking part in theevents of the day, and piling success upon the rival he hated in orderto exasperate him to madness. His state of mind, indeed, was littleshort of that as he went sullenly to his tutor's house, with the sightof Crawley, raised on his comrades' shoulders, in his eyes, their cheersringing in his ears, and the thoughts of Cain in his heart. 

"I shall give up cricket, " he said to Edwards next day; "it's a beastlygame. "

"I don't care for it myself, " replied his friend; "only, what is one todo?"

"Lots of things; you don't know Slam's. I tell you what--I'll take youthere. "

"Thank you; that will be very jolly; only don't you think if one werecaught, you know--eh?"

"We should get into a jolly row, no doubt; but there is no fear of beingcaught. And, as you say, if one does not play cricket, what is one todo?"

One thing which induced Saurin to relinquish the game which he had atone time practised with some hope of success, was that he shrewdlysuspected that, after what occurred, he would no longer be retained inthe eleven. And he was right, for at the very next meeting of thecommittee it was unanimously agreed that a fellow who failed so utterlyto keep his temper was of no use at all, even if he were a much betterplayer than Saurin; and this opinion was intimated to him without anysqueamishness in the choice of terms. Had Weston lost the match hisconduct on the occasion might have resulted in his being sent toCoventry; but success is the parent of magnanimity, and, since his lackof public spirit had not proved fatal, it was condoned. But itcertainly did not increase his popularity. The whole affair was mostunfortunate. Saurin was a disappointing sort of fellow. He was rathergood-looking, and on ordinary occasions his manners were those of agentleman. His abilities were certainly above the average, and his eyeand hand worked together in a manner which was calculated to ensuresuccess in all games, especially as he was fleet of foot and muscular. Thus he was always giving promise of distinguishing himself, and dyingaway to nothing. The explanation is that he was very vain and veryindolent, and his vanity induced him to engage in different pursuitswhich would excite admiration, while his indolence prevented him frompersevering long enough for success. Directly anything bored him hedropped it. Self-indulgence seemed to him the only true wisdom. Henever resisted the whim of the moment except through fear of theconsequences, and unfortunately many of his propensities were vicious. 

He had taken up cricket rather warmly, and seemed less inclined to gettired of it than of most healthy and innocent diversions, and cricketkept him out of mischief; so it was very unlucky, both for himself andfor those over whom he had influence, that his jealousy of Crawley hadled him to make such an idiot of himself. 

CHAPTER TWO. 

SLAM'S. 

About a mile from Weston College there was a dilapidated old house witha large yard and an orchard. There had been a farm attached to it once, but the land had been taken into the next estate, and the old homesteadlet separately many years before. The landlord would gladly have gotrid of the present tenant, but he had a long lease, and, while he paidhis rent, he was secure, and could snap his fingers at the squire, theclergyman, the magistrates, and all other people who did not appreciatehim. Not that he ever did so snap his fingers; on the contrary, MrSlam, though practically defiant, was remarkably civil, not to sayobsequious, in his demeanour when he came into contact with the gentry. By profession he was a rat-catcher, and he had an intimate knowledge ofthe habits and frailties of all the small predatory animals of GreatBritain, and knew well how to lure them to their destruction. In agame-preserving community such talents ought, one would imagine, to havemet with appreciative recognition; but unfortunately Slam was suspectedof being far more fatal to pheasants, hares, and rabbits than to all thevermin he destroyed. He protested his innocence, and was never caughtin the act of taking game; but if anyone wanted to stock his preserves, Slam could always procure him a supply of pheasants' eggs, and more thanone village offender who had been sent to expiate his depredations injail was known to have paid visits to Slam's yard. 

Slam was a dog-fancier as well as a rat-catcher, and therefore doggyboys were attracted to his premises, which, however, were sternlyinterdicted. In the first place they were out of bounds, though this ofitself did not go for very much. There was no town very near Weston, and so long as the boys made their appearance at the specified hoursthey were not overmuch interfered with. Paper chases, or hare andhounds as they are sometimes called, were openly arranged andencouraged; and if boys liked to take walks in the country, they coulddo so with a minimum of risk. If they were awkward enough to meet amaster face to face when out of bounds, he could hardly help turningthem back and giving them a slight imposition; but if they saw himcoming, and got out of his way, he would not look in their direction. 

But to enter an inn, or to visit Slam's, was a serious offence, entailing severe punishment, and even expulsion, if repeated. 

Yet one beautiful warm summer's evening, when the birds were singing andthe grasshoppers chirruping, and all nature invited mankind to playcricket or lawn-tennis, if there were no river handy for boating, fouryouths might have been seen (but were not, luckily for them) approachingthe forbidden establishment. A lane with high banks, now covered withferns and wild flowers, and furrowed with ruts which were more likecrevasses, ran up to the house; but they left this and went round theorchard to the back of the yard, in the wall of which there was a littledoor with a bell-handle beside it. On this being pulled there was afaint tinkle, followed by a canine uproar of the most miscellaneousdescription, the deep-mouthed bay of the blood-hound, the sharp yap-yapof the toy terrier, and a chorus of intermediate undistinguishablebarkings, some fierce, some frolicsome, some expectant, being mixed upwith the rattling of chains. Then an angry voice was heard amidst thehubbub commanding silence, and a sudden whine or two seemed to implythat he had shown some practical intention of being obeyed. A bolt wasdrawn, the door opened, and a short wiry man, dressed in fustian andvelveteen, with a fur cap on his head and a short pipe in his mouth, stood before them. 

"Come in, gents, " said he. "Your dawg's at the other end of the yard, Mr Stubbs, that's why you don't see him. He's had an orkardness withSayres, Mr Robarts' dog, as was in the next kennel, and I thoughtthey'd have strangled themselves a-trying to get at one another, and soI had to separate them. "

"Will it be safe to let him loose?" asked Stubbs. 

"No fear; he will never go near the other while he's loose and the otherone chained up; besides, he'll be took up with seeing you, he will. "

It was very pleasant to the feelings of Stubbs that his dog knew him, which he evidently did, for he danced on his hind-legs, and wagged histail, and whimpered, and did all that a bull-terrier can do in the wayof smiling, when his proprietor approached for the purpose of freeinghim from his chain. Their interviews were not as frequent as either dogor boy would have desired, but then they were very pleasant, for theybrought the former a short spell of liberty, a meal of biscuit orpaunch, and sometimes--oh, ecstasy!--the worrying of a rat, while Stubbsenjoyed the sense of proprietorship, and the knowledge that he was doingwhat was forbidden. He had dreams of leaving school and taking Topperhome with him, and owning him as his friend before all the world, and hetalked to Topper of that happy prospect, and Topper really quite seemedto understand that Stubbs was his master, who had paid money for him, and was now put to considerable expense for his board and lodging, letalone the danger he ran in coming to visit him. To an outsider, calmlyreflecting, it did not seem a very good bargain for Stubbs, but stillvery much better than that of Perry, his friend and present companion, who kept a hawk, and vainly endeavoured to teach the bird to know himand perch on his wrist. But Perry was fond of hawks, and much regrettedthat the days were gone by when hawking was a favourite pastime. 

The other two visitors at Slam's that evening were Saurin and Edwards. Edwards had never been there before, and consequently his feelings werecuriously compounded of fear and pleasurable expectation. He had lookedfrom a distance at the place, the entrance to which was so sternlyforbidden, and imagined all sorts of delightful wickedness--howdelightful or why wicked he had no idea--going on inside. He wasconsiderably disappointed to find himself in a dirty yard full ofkennels, to which dogs of all sorts and sizes were attached, none ofwhom looked as if it would be safe to pat them. There were a good manypigeons flying about, but he did not care for pigeons except in a pie. Perry's hawk was only interesting to Perry. There was a monkey on apole in a corner, but he was a melancholy monkey, who did nothing butraise and lower his eyebrows. 

"Does the gentleman want a dawg?" asked Slam. 

"He will see, " replied Saurin; "if there is a real good one that takeshis fancy he may buy him. It's all right; he's a friend of mine. Haveyou got that tobacco for me?"

"To be sure; you will find it in your drawer. "

Saurin went to a little wooden outhouse which contained a table, a chestof drawers, a cask of dog-biscuits, cages of rats, and othermiscellaneous articles, and opening a locker which seemed to beappropriated to him, he took out a meerschaum pipe and a tobacco-pouch, and came out presently, emitting columns of blue fragrant smoke from hismouth. Edwards looked at his friend with increased respect, the idea ofbeing intimate with a fellow who could smoke like that made him feel aninch taller. 

"I think it's beginning to colour, eh?" asked Saurin. 

"Beautifully, I should say, " replied Edwards. 

"Won't you try?"

"Thanks; I think I should rather like, " said Edwards, who began to feelambitious, "but I have not got anything to smoke. "

"Oh, Slam will let you have a pipe, or a cigar if you like it better. "

Edwards, calling to mind that cigars smelt nicer than pipes, thought heshould prefer one. 

"Slam, my friend wants a cigar. "

"Well, sir, as you know, I can't sell such things without a licence; butif the gent likes to have a few rats for one of the dawgs to show a bitof sport, I'll _give_ him a cigar with pleasure. It's sixpence for halfa dozen. "

"And, by the by, Edwards, it is usual to stand some beer to pay yourfooting. A couple of quarts of sixpenny will do. "

"That will make eighteenpence altogether, " responded Edwards cheerfully, producing that sum. 

"I'll send out for the beer at once, " said Mr Slam, taking the moneyand going towards the house. 

Where he sent to is a mystery, for there was no public-house within amile, and yet the can of beer arrived in about five minutes. It is muchto be feared that Slam set the excise law at defiance when he feltperfectly safe from being informed against. 

"Rats for Topper!" exclaimed Stubbs. "Oh, I say, Edwards, you _are_ abrick, you know. I have been hard up lately, and he has not had a ratfor ever so long. You won't mind my letting them out for him, will you?You see, I should like him to think it was I who gave him the treat, ifyou don't mind. "

Edwards had no objection to become a party to this innocent deception, and the cage of rats was brought out from some mysterious place wherethere was an unlimited supply of those vermin. Whereupon everyindividual dog in the establishment went off his head with excitement, and began barking and tearing at his chain in a manner to soften thehardest heart. That rats should be so near and yet so far! Thebuilding, which was once a stable, had been fitted up expressly as anarena, where dogs might exhibit their prowess, and thither the cage wasnow carried by Stubbs, Topper going almost the whole way on his hind-legs, with his nose close to the wires. Considering the amount ofexcitement the entertainment did not last long; the rats were turned outinto the arena, where Topper pounced upon them one after the other witha nip and a shake which was at once fatal. In a couple of minutes therewere six fewer rats in the world, and Topper was extremely anxious todiminish the number still further. Doctor Johnson, the compiler of thedictionary, said he had never in his life had as many peaches andnectarines as he could eat, and that was Topper's feelings with regardto rats. Edwards did not enjoy the spectacle quite as much as he feltthat he ought. Besides, he was engaged in desperate efforts to lighthis cigar. Match after match did he burn, sucking away all the timelike a leech, but no smoke came into his mouth. 

"Let us go into the orchard and finish the beer, " said Saurin. 

The orchard was surrounded by so thick a hedge that it was just asprivate as the yard. A cobby horse was cropping the grass, anungroomed, untrimmed animal, very much better than he looked, hismaster, for reasons of his own, being as anxious to disguise his meritsas most proprietors of the noble animal are to enhance them as much aspossible. There were possibilities of recreation here, though they weresomewhat of a low order. Quoits hung up on several large nails driveninto a wall, and there was a covered skittle alley. For there were agood many small farmers of the class just above that of the a labourerin the neighbourhood, and some of them frequented Slam's, and werepartial to skittles. 

The four boys and the proprietor of the establishment seated themselveson benches in this orchard and gulped the beer. 

"Your cigar does not seem to draw well, " said Saurin. 

"No, " replied Edwards; "I can't think what is the matter with it; Inever smoked a cigar like this before. "

Which was perfectly true, as it was the first he had ever put into hismouth. 

"Let me look at it. Why, you have not bitten the end off! You might aswell expect smoke to go up a chimney that is bricked up at the top. Here, I'll cut it for you with my penknife; now you will find it go allright. What a row that hawk of yours makes, Perry!"

"Yes, he ought to be hooded, you know. Hateful times we live in, don'twe! How jolly it must have been when education meant learning to ride, fly a hawk, train a hound, shoot with the bow, and use the sword andbuckler, instead of mugging at abominable lessons. "

"Right you are, sir, " said Mr Slam; "why, even when I was a lad a fightor a bit of cocking could be brought off without much trouble, butnowadays the beaks and perlice are that prying and interfering there'sno chance hardly. And as for them times Mr Perry was speaking of, why, I've heard tell that the princes and all the nobs used to go to see aprize-fight in a big building all comfortable, just as they goes now toa theayter. And every parish had to find a bull or a bear to be batedevery Sunday. Ah! them was the good old times, them was. "

Edwards did not find his cigar very nice. The smoke got down his throatand made him cough till his eyes watered, and the taste was not sopleasant as the smell. However, Saurin seemed to like it, so there mustbe some pleasure about it if he only persevered. 

He laboured under a delusion here, for Saurin would rather not havesmoked, as a matter of fact, though he had a great object in view, thecolouring of his pipe, which supported him. His real motive in this, asin all other matters, was vanity. Other boys would admire him forsmoking like a full-grown man, and so he smoked. He would never havedone it alone, without anyone to see him, being too fond of himself topersevere in anything he did not like, out of whim, or for the sake ofsome possible future gratification, of the reality of which he was notvery well assured. 

"Did you ever play at quoits, Edwards?" asked Saurin presently. 

"Yes, I have played at home; we have some. "

"Suppose we have a game, then. Why, hulloa, how pale you look! don'tsmoke any more of that cigar. "

"I do fee--feel a little queer, " said Edwards, who certainly did notexaggerate his sensations. A cold sweat burst out on his forehead, hishands were moist and clammy, and though it was a warm evening heshivered from head to foot, while he had a violent pain in his stomachwhich prevented his standing upright. 

"Come, man alive, don't give way. We must be getting back soon, " saidSaurin, who was rather dismayed at the idea of taking his friend to histutor's in that condition, and the consequent risk of drawing suspicionon himself. "Would not a drop of brandy be a good thing, Slam?"

"Well, no, not in this here case, " said Slam. "The missus shall mix hima little mustard and warm water; that's what he wants. "

"You are sure it's only the cigar, " groaned Edwards. "I am not poisonedor anything?"

"Poisoned! how can you be? You have taken nothing but the beer, and wehave all drunk that. No, it's the tobacco; it always makes fellowsrather seedy at first, and I expect you swallowed a lot of the smoke. "

"I did. "

"Well, then, drink this and you will be all right presently. "

Edwards took the emetic, which had the effect peculiar to thatdescription of beverage. It was not a pleasant one; indeed, he thoughthe was going to die; but after a while the worst symptoms passed off, and he was able to walk home. 

Saurin and Edwards lodged at the same tutors, and they went up to theroom of the latter without attracting attention. Here Edwards, underthe other's directions, washed his face, cleaned his teeth, changed hisjacket and neck-tie, and put some scented pomatum on his hair, and thenlay down on his bed till the supper-bell should ring. 

"I shall not be able to eat, " he remonstrated. "Do you think I need godown?"

"Oh, yes; come and have a try, or else it will excite suspicion. Youwould have to show at prayers directly afterwards, you know, so it willnot make much difference. You have nothing to do with old Cooksonbetween this and supper--no exercise or anything?"

"No, thank goodness!"

"That's all right. You have a good hour for a nap, and your head willbe better then. I must go and sweeten myself now. "

I regret to say that "old Cookson" was the shockingly disrespectful wayin which this flagitious youth spoke of his reverend and learned tutor. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

TOM BULLER. 

Weston College was a polishing-up establishment. Boys were not admittedunder the age of fourteen, or unless they showed a certain proficiencyin Greek and Latin, in the first book of Euclid, in arithmetic andalgebra up to simple equations. And the entrance examination, mind you, was no farce. If a candidate was not well grounded they would not havehim; and it was necessary to be particular, because the first or lowestform assumed a certain amount of knowledge in the commencement of thatcourse which proposed to land the neophyte in the Indian Civil Service, the army, or a good scholarship at one of the universities. 

Though fourteen was the age of possible admission, very few boys werequalified until they were at least a year older, and consequently therewas no organised system of fagging, and flogging was a very rare andextreme measure; but otherwise the system somewhat resembled that of thelarge public schools. The head-master and three other masters each hada house full of boarders, whose preparation of lessons on certainsubjects he superintended; and every boy had a separate apartment, whichwas his study and bedroom. 

It was an expensive school, and the discipline of Dr Jolliffe was morelax than many parents and guardians quite liked; and yet few of the boyswho went there were rich. It was very rarely, that is, that one of themhad not to make his own way in the world. And the number, which waslimited, was always complete. For results speak for themselves, and theexamination lists showed triumphant successes for Weston. It is truethat if they only took boys of considerable proficiency, and got rid ofall who made no progress, they might be expected to show a good average;but then, on the other hand, there was no cramming, and everyencouragement was given to healthy athletic exercise. Three or fouryears were taken to do the work which is too often jammed into a fewmonths. That was the secret; and, though of course there were failures, it answered well on the whole. 

This is an explanatory digression, just to let you know what sort ofstage our characters are acting upon. 

It was Saturday afternoon, and a half-holiday, and there was only oneboy left in Dr Jolliffe's house. His name was Buller, and he wasneither sick nor under punishment. His window was wide open, for it wasvery hot and stuffy in his little room, into which the sun poured, andon the other side of a lane which ran underneath was the cricket-field, from which the thud of balls struck by the bat, voices, and laughterresounded in a way to tempt any fellow out of his hole. But there hestuck with his elbows on the table and his head in his hands, forcinghimself to concentrate his attention upon a book which lay open beforehim. 

"Because _a divided by b_ equals _c divided by d_, " he murmured, "thefirst quotients _m m_ are equal. Yes, I see that; again, since _adivided by b_ equals _m_ plus _x divided by b_, and _c divided by d_equals _m_ plus _r divided by d_, hum, hum, why, in the name of allthat's blue--oh, yes! I see. But then--oh, a thousand blisters on theidiot who invented this rot! But I won't be licked. "

And he began again and again, sticking to it for another half-hour, whenhe suddenly cried out, "I have it! What a double-distilled ass I am!Of course it is simple enough. If _a divided by b_ equals _c divided byd_, and _a_ and _b_ be prime to each other, _c_ and _d_ areequimultiples of _a_ and _b_. Of course they are; how could they beanything else? The other fellows saw it at once, no doubt. What a lotof trouble it gives one to be a fool! Now, I'll go and practisebowling. "

Buller was no fool; indeed he would not have thought himself one if hehad been; but he was slow at everything--learning, games, accomplishments--though he had this compensation, no slight one either, that when he had once mastered a thing he had got it for ever. Hisschool-fellows called him a duffer, but it did not vex him in the least, for he considered it a mere statement of a patent fact, and was no moreoffended than if they had said that he had two legs. But he had astrong belief that perseverance, _sticking_, he called it, could make upin a great measure for want of natural ability. The fable of the hareand tortoise had given him great encouragement, and, finding in practicethat he passed boys who had far more brilliant parts than himself, henever gave way to despair, however hopeless the task before him mightseem. 

His ambition--never expressed, however, to anyone--was to get into theeleven. Had it been known it would have been thought the very height ofabsurdity, and have become such a standing joke that its realisationwould have been rendered well nigh impossible. It proved that Bullerhad sound sense that he was able to see this. He did not much expect tosucceed, but he meant to try all he knew, ever since the day he wascalled "old butter-fingers" in a game in which he showed especialincapacity to catch the ball. He began by mastering that; whenever hecould he got fellows to give him catches. He practised throwing theball up in the air and catching it again. When he went home for theholidays he would carry a tennis-ball in his pocket, and take everyopportunity of throwing it against a wall and taking it at the reboundwith both hands, with the right hand, and with the left. At last he gotquite dexterous--and sinistrous, too, for that matter. 

But the mere fact of being able to manipulate the ball smartly, thoughit is of supreme importance in cricket, would never gain him admissioninto the eleven of his house, let alone that of the school. For that, as he well knew, he must cultivate a speciality, and he decided uponbowling. Wicket-keeping could only be practised in a regular game, andno side would agree to let him fill the post--it was not likely. Batting everyone wanted to practise, and it would be very rarely that hewould be able to get a good bowler to bowl for him. There was aprofessional, indeed, who was always in the cricket-fields during theseason, but his services were generally in request, and, besides, theywere expensive, and Tom Buller had not much pocket-money. But there wasalmost always some fellow who was glad to get balls given to him, and, if not, you can set a stump up in front of a net and bowl at that. 

To have worked all this out in his mind did not look like lack ofintelligence or observation, and to act upon it steadily, without sayinga word about it to anybody, showed considerable steadfastness andresolution. He now put his algebra and papers into his bureau, took outhis cricket-ball and ran down-stairs and round to the fields. At firstit seemed as if he would be obliged to have recourse to his solitarystump, for, it being the Saturday half-holiday, there were two matchesgoing on, and those present not taking part in them were playing lawn-tennis. But presently he espied Robarts, who had been in and out againin the game he was engaged in, and was now waiting for the innings ofhis side to be over, standing in front of a net, bat in hand, with twoboys bowling to him. 

"May I give you a ball, Robarts?" he asked. 

"Of course you may, Buller; the more the merrier, " was the reply; "only, if you are so wide as to miss the net, you must go after the ballyourself. " And Robarts raised his bat, prepared for a good swipe if theball came within reach, which he did not much expect. 

Buller measured his distance, took a short run, and sent the ball inwith the energy begotten of long mugging at algebra on a fine afternoon. Every muscle in his body seemed to long for violent exertion; the pent-up strength in him, like steam, demanded an outlet, and, with his handrather higher than the shoulder, he sent the ball in with a will. 

"By Jove! that was straight enough, and a hot one too!" exclaimedRobarts, who had only just managed to block it. "It made my handstingle. "

The two others delivered their balls, which were hit away right andleft, and then Buller came again with another which had to be blocked. The other bowlers who had been playing, and were going in againpresently, were glad to stop and leave Buller to work away alone, whichhe did in a deliberate, determined manner, proving that his firstattempts were not chance shots. Twice he sent the wickets down, andonce, when the ball was driven back to him, he caught it with the lefthand, high up. 

"Well, " said Robarts when he was called away to go and field, "and youare the fellow they called a duffer! Why, it is like magic! Were youplaying dark last year, or what?"

"No; but I have been practising. "

"You have practised to some purpose, then. If you could only vary yourbowling a little more you would be very dangerous. You see, if youalways send the same sort of ball, a fellow knows how to meet it after abit. "

Robarts as an all-round player was only reckoned inferior to Crawley, and his words of approval were very gratifying to Buller, who felthimself a step nearer one particular goal. He did not indulge indaydreams, however, not being of an imaginative disposition. The actualdifficulty which he had to master at the time took up all his thoughtsand energies, and the distant object to be attained, though neverabsolutely lost sight of, was never dwelt upon or brooded over. 

He at once looked about for someone else to bowl for, and found hisparticular chum, Penryhn, who, after fagging out through the heat of theday, had gone to the wicket with the sun in his eyes, and been cleanbowled the first ball. 

"Will you really bowl for me?" he said eagerly in reply to Buller'soffer. "What a good fellow you are!"

"Why? for doing what I want? That is laying in a stock of good workscheap. You won't mind a few wides, I hope; Robarts says there is toogreat a sameness about my bowling, so I want to practise twisters andshooters. You won't mind if I bowl at your legs?"

"Not a bit; _ignis via_--fire away. "

The necessity for violent exertion had been taken out of Buller, indeedit was now oozing away from every pore of his skin. So he did not tryfast bowling, except now and then when he attempted to put in a shooter, but concentrated his attention principally upon placing his ball, or onpitching it to leg with an inward twist towards the wicket. Heconstantly failed; sent easy ones which were hit about to the peril ofneighbouring players; cut Penryhn over once on the knee-cap and once onthe ankle. But he never once delivered the ball carelessly, or withouta definite object. And when his arm got so tired that his mind could nolonger direct it, he left off and Penryhn bowled in turn to him, hisgreat object then being to keep an upright bat rather than to hit. 

"I'll tell you what, Tom, you have improved in your cricket awfully, "said Penryhn as they strolled back in the dusk. "Why, you took Robarts'wickets twice. "

"Yes, but I should not have done it in a game; fellows step out and hitrecklessly in practice. "

"No matter for that; you are quite a different bowler from what youwere. "

"The fact is it takes me all my time to learn to do what comes to otherfellows naturally. "

"That's a bit too deep for me; some fellows can do one thing easily andothers another, and every fellow has to work hard to learn those thingswhich belong, as it were, to the other fellows. There are chaps, Isuppose, like the Admirable Crichton, who are born good all round, andcan play the fiddle, polish off Euclid, ride, shoot, lick anyone at anygame, all without the slightest trouble, but one does not come acrossthem often, thank goodness. I say, do you know what genius is?"

"Not exactly; that is, I could not define it. "

"Well, I have heard my father say that some very clever chap has saidthat it is `an infinite capacity for taking pains, ' and if that's true, by Jove, you must be a genius, Tom!"

And they both burst out laughing at the notion, and went in and changedtheir flannels. And Buller lit his candle and mugged at a Germanexercise till the supper-bell rang. 

Half-holidays did not necessarily preclude work in the tutor's pupil-rooms, which was preparatory to that in school, though practically thehours of recreation were never interfered with in fine weather. Butafter the hour of "All In, " as the local phrase went, when the roll wascalled, and every boy had to be in for the night, an hour which variedwith the time of the year, it was different. And on this Saturdayevening Mr Cookson had some arrears of Historical Theme correction tomake up. For since history plays a considerable part in moderncompetitive examinations, every boy had to read up a certain portion ofsome standard work every week, and write a theme upon it, without thebook, in the pupil-room. This theme was looked over with him by histutor before being sent in to the head-master, and if it did not reach acertain standard it was torn up, and he had to read the subject againand write another one. Edwards was one of the essayists whose paper hadnot yet been examined, and he stood at this tutor's elbow while he readit over. "`After he had been some years in England Sir Elijah Impey wastried by Doctors' Commons. '" "_House_ of Commons, boy, " said MrCookson, "people are not impeached at Doctors' Commons, that's wherewills are proved, " and he made a correction, --"`and proved he hadn'tmurdered the rajah. And so Sir Philip Francis, the author of a bookcalled _Junius_, the writer of which was never discovered, '"--"why, that's a bull;" Mr Cookson could not help chuckling as he made a dashand a correction, --"`and deaf Burke, '"--"`I never heard that he wasdeaf--oh, that was another man, a prize-fighter, ho, ho, ho, ahem!'"--"`and Burke were very much ashamed of themselves, and werehissed, and never alluded to the subject, from which originated thephrase of "burking the question, "'"--"Pooh, pooh, never make shots likethat:"--"`and Sir Elijah Impey was found Not Guilty, and all hisproperty was taken from him to pay the lawyers with. '" "Well, well, it'snot so bad, " said Mr Cookson, signing his name at the bottom of thelast page. "And now, Edwards, " he added, turning and looking the boystraight in the eyes, "I have a good mind to have you flogged. "

"Me, sir!" exclaimed Edwards, turning pale; "what for, sir?"

"Doctor Jolliffe does not flog for many things, but there are certainoffences he never fails to visit with the utmost severity. Smoking isone of them. "

"I assure you, sir, I have not--"

"Lying is another, so do not finish your sentence. I can smell thestale tobacco. "

And indeed Edwards was wearing the jacket in which he had indulged inthat emetical luxury, his first cigar, two evenings previously. 

"But really, sir, it is no lie, " he urged; "I have not been smoking, andI cannot tell where the smell comes from, unless it is my jacket, whichI wore in the holidays, when I sat in the room with my father when hewas having his cigar sometimes, and which has been in my box till theother day. I am certain it cannot be my breath or anything else. "

"Come nearer; no, your breath and hair are free from the taint. Well, it may be as you say, and I am loth to suspect you of falsehood. Butlisten to me, my boy; I am not assuming that you have been smoking, mind, but only, as we are on the subject, that you might do so. It mayseem very arbitrary that the rules against it are so very severe, considering how general the practice is, but they are wise for all that. However harmless it may be for those who have come to their fullgrowth, smoking tobacco is certainly very injurious to lads who are notmatured. And indeed until the habit is acquired--it affects thedigestion and the memory of every one. Now, in these days ofcompetitive examinations, when every young fellow on entering life hasto struggle to get his foot on the first rung of the ladder, and all hisfuture prospects depend on his doing better than others, howinexpressibly silly it is for him to handicap himself needlessly bytaking a narcotic which confuses his brain and impairs his memory, andwhich affords him no pleasure whatever. I treat you as a rationalbeing, and appeal to your common sense, and speak as your friend. Now, go. "

Edwards was not such a ready liar as you may think him, though hecertainly prevaricated. He _had_ worn that jacket in his father'ssmoking-room, and it _had_ lain in his box during the early part of theterm. He had not smoked again since the occasion commemorated, and thatwas two days previously, and he persuaded himself that his tutor'squestion applied to that day. But he knew in his heart that it didn't, and with the kind tones of his tutor's voice ringing in his ears he feltas if he ought to be kicked. 

But when he went up to his room he found Saurin there, and any feelingsof self-reproach he had had soon melted away. 

"What's up, now?" asked his friend. "You look as if you had seen aghost. "

"I nearly got into an awful row, I can tell you!" replied Edwards. "Mytutor smelt my jacket of smoke while he was correcting my theme. "

"By Jove! And how did you get out of it?"

"I told him I had worn the jacket in my father's smoking-room. "

"Ha, ha, ha! that was a good un. Well done, old fellow! I did notthink you had so much presence of mind. You will make your way yet. "

Edwards was on the point of protesting that what he said was the fact, but his guide, philosopher, and friend seemed so much pleased with theingenuity of his plea that he could not bear to rob himself of thecredit of it, and so he looked as knowing as he conveniently could, andchuckled, taking a pride in what five minutes before he was ashamed of. 

"That's the worst of cigar-smoking, the smell clings so to the clothesand hair. Now, a pipe is much easier to get sweet again after, unless, of course, you carry it about in your pocket. Wore the jacket in yourfather's smoking-room about a month ago! and old Cookson was soft enoughto swallow that. How old Slam would chuckle! I must tell him. "

"Do you know, I am not quite certain that my tutor did altogetherbelieve that I had not been smoking, " said Edwards, his consciencestirring again a little bit now that he saw the man who had spoken sokindly to him incurring the terrible risk of forfeiting Saurin's esteemthrough a false imputation of too great credulity. "You see, he's agood-natured chap, and I think he wanted to believe if he could, and asmy hair and breath did not smell, he gave me the benefit of the doubt. "

"Thought it would bring discredit on his house if it were known tocontain a monster who smoked tobacco, " said Saurin, "and so was glad topretend to believe the papa-smoking-room story. Well, it is possible;old Cookson may not be so great a fool as he looks. Anyhow, I am gladfor your sake that he did not report you; old Jolliffe would not havebeen humbugged. He would have said, `Your jacket stinks of tobacco, andjackets don't smoke of themselves. ' And you would have got it hot, oldfellow, for Jolliffe is mad against smoking. "

CHAPTER FOUR. 

AN OUTSIDE PROFESSOR. 

Saurin's master passion of vanity caused him to be fond of low company. This may sound odd to some, because many vain people are sycophants, whowill do anything to be seen in the company of persons of title or highsocial position, and who cut the acquaintance of old friends, and evenbenefactors when they dare and can do without them, when they are ofinferior grade. These are contented to shine with a reflected light;but Saurin's pride was of a different description, and he chafed atbeing a satellite, and always wanted to figure as a sun, the centre ofhis companions, who must revolve around him. How small a sun did notmatter. And so, though really possessed of considerable abilities, hewas happier when in the company of boors and clodhoppers, who owned hissuperiority and deferred to all he said, than he was with his equals, who presumed to question his opinions, differ in their tastes, and laughat his failures. This natural disposition had, unfortunately, beenfostered by circumstances. He was an only child, born in India, and hadbeen sent over to England in his early infancy, and committed to thecare of an uncle. His parents died before they could come home, and henever knew them. His uncle and guardian lost his wife very soon afterthe boy was sent to him. He was older and had settled in life very muchearlier than his brother, and his two children (girls) were married andliving, at a distance. He resided nominally in the country, but afterhis wife's death lived a great deal in London. So there was no one tolook properly after the orphan, who associated with grooms andgamekeepers, and played with the village boys. Unfortunately the bestof these went to work, and it was only the idle good-for-nothings whowere available as playmates. When his uncle had an inkling of what wasgoing on he sent him to school, where he did not get on badly so far aslearning was concerned, but unfortunately he did not unlearn the lessonstaught him by bumpkin ne'er-do-weels, and when he went home for theholidays he renewed his acquaintance with them with fresh zest. He hada good voice, and would sing to the revellers at harvest homes and otherrural festivities as they sipped their ale, and delighted in theirapplause and wonder at his cleverness, and in the deference they paidhim. When he went to Weston his ambition took at first a higher flight, and he dreamed of dominating the school. With this idea he began tostudy with some ardour, and his natural ability enabled him to make goodprogress. At all the games in which success brought consideration healso tried to attain proficiency, and he endeavoured in every way hecould think of to court popularity. But there were others as clever andcleverer than himself, as good and better at football, running, andcricket, and very many whose manners and disposition were moreattractive. He had not got the patient persistency of Tom Buller, orwith his superior quickness he might have gone far towards success. Buthe wanted to establish his position at a jump, and every failurediscouraged and irritated him. And so his efforts became more and morespasmodic, and he confined himself to trying to become the head of aclique. But his overbearing vanity and selfishness would show itselftoo glaringly at times, and many who accepted him as a leader at firstgrew weary of him, and Edwards was his only really faithful follower. Therefore he fell back upon Slam's, where certain young farmers of theneighbourhood, for whom he sometimes provided drink, applauded his songsand jokes, and fooled him to the top of his bent. But he none the lesschafed at his want of appreciation in the school, and bitterly hatedCrawley, who in a great measure filled the place which he coveted. 

Since the cricket match in which he had figured so ignominiously, Saurinhad become a confirmed loafer, and frequented the old reprobate's yardalmost daily. And, indeed, a new attraction had been added to theestablishment. Wobbler, the pedestrian, a candidate for the ten-mileschampionship of Somersetshire, was residing there during his trainingfor that world-renowned contest. It cannot be correctly said thatWobbler was very good company, for indeed his conversational powers werelimited, which was perhaps fortunate, seeing that his language was notvery choice when he did speak. But he was a man of variedaccomplishments; not only could he walk, but he could run, and swim, andbox. Indeed he had only deserted the pugilistic for the pedestrianprofession because the former was such a poor means of livelihood, closely watched as its members were by the police. Now, Saurin had longwished to learn to box, an art which was not included in the curriculumof the Weston gymnasium, and here was an opportunity. The professor'sterms were half-a-crown a lesson, provided there was a class of at leastfour. The ordinary allowance of pocket-money at Weston waseighteenpence a week, _plus_ tips, _plus_ what was brought back toschool after the holidays. In the words of Mr Slam, "it wouldn't runto it. " There were seven occasional frequenters of the forbidden yardwho were anxious to acquire the rudiments of the noble art of self-defence, but half-a-crown a lesson was a prohibitive tariff. Indeed itseemed contrary to principle to pay to learn anything. Saurin hit on away out of the difficulty; he wrote this letter to his guardian:

 "My dear Uncle, --I should like to learn gymnastics, fencing, boxing, and those things, but the regular man appointed to teach such things here is a duffer, and makes it a bore, keeping you at dumb-bells and clubs and such stupid work for ever, just to make the course last out, for the charges are monstrous. And so, hearing about this, Professor Wobbler, a first-rate instructor, I am told, has engaged a room in the neighbourhood, where he gives lessons at half-a-crown each, or a course of ten for one pound. It has to be kept secret, because the man appointed by the school would have the boys forbidden to go there if he knew. If you don't mind, will you please send the pound to me or to Professor Wobbler. I will send you his receipt if you pay him through me. Please do not mention the matter if it does not meet with your approval, as I should be very sorry to take the poor man's bread out of his mouth. "

This part of the epistle, a cunning combination of the _suppressio veri_and _suggestio falsi_, was given to all the others who were in the plotto copy. I am sorry to say that in several instances, including thoseof Saurin and Edwards, it was successful, and the class was formed. 

The professor was not beautiful to look at. His forehead was low andprojecting, his eyes small, his nose flat, his lower jaw square andmassive. Neither were his words of instruction characterised by thatelegance which public lecturers often affect, but they were practicaland to the point, which after all is the chief thing to be looked at. 

"You stands easy like, " he said to Saurin, who was taking his firstlesson in an unfurnished room of Slam's house, the fine weather havingterminated in a thunderstorm, and a wet week to follow. "Don't plantyour feet as if you meant to grow to the floor, and keep your kneesstraight--no, not stiff like that, I mean don't bend them. You wants tostep forwards or to step backwards, quick as a wink, always moving therear foot first, or else you'd stumble over it and get off your balance, and that would give t'other a chance. You must be wary, wary, ready tostep up and hit, or step back out of reach. Keep your heyes ont'other's, and that will help you to judge the distance. Take 'em offfor a bit of a second and you'll have his mawley well on your nose atonce. Now, your left arm and fut in advance, not too much; keep yourbody square to the front. Your right arm across, guarding what we callsthe mark, that's just above the belt, where the wind is. Let your leftplay up and down free, your foot and body moving with it graceful like. That's better. Now, try to hit me in the face as hard as you can; youwon't do it, no fear; I should like to bet a pound to a shilling on thatevery time, and I won't hold my hands up neither. It's just to show yerwhat judging the distance is. "

Saurin hesitated at first, and hit gently; but urged to try his best heat last struck out sharply, but could not reach the professor's visage. Sometimes he turned it slightly to the right, sometimes to the left, andthe blow went past his ear. Some times he just drew his head back, andthe pupil's fist came to within an inch of what he called his nose, butnever touched it. This was a way the professor had of showing hiscredentials--it was his unwritten diploma proving his efficiency toinstruct in the noble art. After this the boxing gloves were put on, and the pupil was directed to walk round the professor in a springymanner, leading off at his face, the instructor throwing off the blowswith an upward movement of the right arm. Next, after a pause for rest, they went on again, Saurin leading off, the professor parrying andreturning the blow, slowly at first, then quicker as the pupil gainedskill and confidence in warding off the hit. Then the instructor ledoff, and the pupil parried and returned. Then one, two, three, four. And so the first lesson ended, and Stubbs, who was another of the class, was taken in hand. Now Stubbs had naturally let his beloved Topperloose as he passed through the yard, and the dog followed him into theroom where the lesson was going on. So long as Stubbs led off at theprofessor Topper was quiet and happy; his master he thought was worryingsomeone, it was his human equivalent to killing a rat; but when theprofessor led off at _him_, the case was different, and Topper, withoutwarning, went straight at the supposed assailant's throat. Fortunatelythe professor had a bird's-eye handkerchief round his neck, whichprotected it from the dog's teeth, for Topper sprang right up and fixedhim. It was frightful to look at, but Stubbs had the presence of mindto seize his animal round the throat with both hands immediately anddrag him away; his teeth were so firmly set in the handkerchief thatthat came too. No one is a hero at all hours, and Wobbler came as nearbeing frightened as a soldier or a pugilist can be supposed, withoutlibel, to do. This made him angry, and he used language towards the dogand his anatomy, and his own anatomy, which is not customary in politesociety. Stubbs carried the offender down to his kennel and chained himup, and on his return offered a peace-offering of beer, which was wellmeant but unkind, seeing that the professor was in training andrestricted as to his potations. However, Topper's fangs had not brokenthe skin, thanks to the handkerchief, though certainly not to Topper. Mr Wobbler recovered his equanimity, and affably condescended toapologise for his remarks. 

"I'm almost afeard as I swore, gents, " he observed, and his fear wascertainly well founded. "I was a trifled startled, you see, andexpressed myself as I felt, strong. Bull-terriers is nice dogs, and I'mvery partial to them, in their proper place, but that's not a hanging onto my wind pipe; at least that's _my_ opinion. But I'm sorry if I spokerough, which is not in my habits. Nobody can say that Job Wobbler isuncivil to his backers or his patrons. "

A speech which was perhaps rather lacking in dignity for a professor. The lesson then went on, and was succeeded by others, sometimes in theroom, sometimes in the orchard, according to the weather. And when thepupils had attained a certain degree of proficiency they were paired offagainst one another, first for leads-off, at the head, parry and returnat the body, stop and return at the head, and so forth. Finally, forloose sparring, the professor standing by and stopping them when theygot wild, or began punching indiscriminately. Saurin made considerableprogress, and was a long way the best of the class--so much so, indeed, that he had to play lightly with the others, or they would not all setto with him. Even such a critic as Slam expressed his approval, andthis superiority was sugar and sack to Saurin, being indeed the firstconsolation he had received since the mortification of being turned outof the eleven. But, alas! sparring was not a recognised item of Westonathletics, and he could not gain the applause of the whole school by hisproficiency, which was only known to a very few of the initiated. Unless, indeed, --and here a thought which had long lain dormant in hismind, for the first time assumed a distinct shape. Suppose he happenedto come to an open outbreak with Crawley, and it ended in a fight, whatan opportunity it would be to gratify his ambition and his hatred at thesame time! He did not actually plan anything of the kind, or say tohimself that he would pick a quarrel. The idea was merely a fancy, adaydream. Man or boy must be bold as well as bad deliberately to form ascheme for bringing about an encounter with a formidable enemy, andSaurin was not particularly bold, certainly not rashly so, and Crawleywould be likely to prove a very awkward customer. Instructors of anysort, whether they are professors of mathematics, or Hebrew, or ofdancing, or boxing, have this in common, that they are sure to take aspecial interest in apt pupils; and so Mr Wobbler paid more attentionto Saurin than to the others, and showed him certain tricks, feints, anddevices which he did not favour everybody with. He also gave him somehints in wrestling, and taught him the throw called the cross-buttock. Saurin used likewise to go to the highroad along which the professortook his daily walks in preparation for his match, and sometimes heldthe stop-watch for him, and learned how to walk or run in a way toattain the maximum of speed with a minimum of exertion. The merelearning to box, and the necessary association with a man like Wobbler, would not have done the boys much harm of itself. The deceptionpractised in order to obtain the money to pay him with, and the skulkingand dodging necessary for approaching and leaving Slam's premiseswithout being seen, were far more injurious to them, especially sincethe great freedom allowed to the boys at Weston was granted on theassumption that they would not take advantage of it to frequent placeswhich were distinctly forbidden. And to do them justice, the greatmajority felt that they were on honour, and did not abuse the trust. But for Saurin, and for Edwards and a few others who followed Saurin'slead, the mischief did not end here. Mr Wobbler sometimes unbended--Mr Saurin was such a "haffable gent" there was no resisting him--andtold anecdotes of his past experiences, which were the reverse ofedifying. It was a curious fact that every action upon which he pridedhimself, or which he admired in his friends, was of a more or lessfraudulent nature; and Mr Slam, who was always present on theseoccasions, shared these sentiments, and contributed similarreminiscences of his own. It was true that the boys looked upon thesetwo, and upon the young sporting farmers who sometimes dropped in, andboasted of poaching, and horse-cheating exploits in a spirit ofemulation, as "cads, " who had a different code from their own; but it isvery difficult to associate with persons of any station in life whothink it clever to defraud others, and consider impunity as the onlytest of right or wrong, and to laugh at their dishonourable tricks, without blunting our own moral sense. We cannot touch pitch withoutbeing defiled. 

Another great evil was the beer-drinking, at any time, whether they werethirsty or not, which went on. Worse still, spirits were sometimesintroduced. The frequenters of Slam's spent all their pocket-money atthat place in one way or another; and the pity of it was, that most ofthem would much rather, certainly at starting, have laid it out inoyster-patties, strawberry messes, and ices, than in forming habitswhich they would very probably give their right arms to be rid of inafter-life. The best hope for them, next to being found out, was thattheir course of boxing lessons would soon be over, and Mr Wobbler wouldgo away to walk his match and clear out of the neighbourhood, and thatthen they would give up frequenting this disreputable hole before thebad habits which they were so sedulously acquiring got a complete holdupon them. As it was at present, Topper was the only living being thathad tried to do a good turn for them; if he had succeeded in worryingthe professor, the whole clique would have broken up. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

HOSTILITIES COMMENCED. 

Many Weston boys who had nothing to do with Slam, who did not care forratting, and saw no fun in being the proprietor of a dog that could onlybe seen occasionally and by stealth, took a perfectly legitimateinterest in Wobbler as a competitor in the Somersetshire ten-mileschampionship, and when it became generally known that he was training inthe neighbourhood (which was not for some time, nor until the number ofboxing lessons subscribed for by the Saurin class had been pretty wellexhausted), a good many repaired when time allowed to the nice bit ofstraight highroad some two miles off where the pedestrian pounded alongdaily, with his body inclined somewhat forward, his arms held in frontof his chest, a little stick in his right hand, fair heel and toe, at arate of over seven miles in the hour. A group, of which Penryhn wasone, were walking in that direction one afternoon, when Buller overtookthem at a sharp run, pulling up alongside his friend. 

"So you have come then after all?" said Penryhn. 

"Yes, " replied Buller, mopping his forehead. "I finished the task I setmyself directly after you started, and thought I could catch you up. But it's hot!"

"Is it true that you have been elected into the house eleven?"

"Yes, " replied Buller; "it seems rum, doesn't it?"

"I don't know why it should. I am sure I am very glad, old fellow, forI know that you wished it. "

"Well, yes I did. I am uncommonly fond of cricket, don't you see, andhave tried hard to improve. "

"That you must have done, by Jove! But how was it?"

"Well, Robarts said something to Crawley, and Crawley came up to me theday before yesterday and said he had heard that I could bowl a bit;would I come and give him a few balls. So I went and bowled to him foran hour, and the result was that he called a house meeting, and I wasput into the eleven. "

"You will be in the school eleven next year, you see. "

"I don't know, " replied Buller; "it depends on how I get on, you know. I might make a regular mull of it. "

"Bosh! not you; you have gone on improving too steadily for that, " saidPenryhn confidently. "This is one of the milestones the chap comes to;he will be here presently if we wait. What's the row over there?"

"Oh! one of those men with images, and some of our fellows, Saurin, Edwards, and that lot, chaffing him. "

An Italian with a large tray of plaster of Paris figures on his head wastramping from one town to another, and seeing the groups of boysgathered in different parts of the road, thought he might do a stroke ofbusiness, so taking down the tray he solicited attention. 

"I makes them all myself; I am poor man, but artist. "

"Ah! and how do you sell them?" asked Saurin. 

"Sheap, oh mosh too sheap; what you like to give. "

"Will you take a shilling for the whole lot?"

"Oh! young gentleman, you make fun, you joke. Ha, ha! One shilling forthe beautiful little statues! What joke!"

"Too much, is it? I thought so; not but what they would make capitalcockshies. "

A large pile of flints, hammered into a convenient size and form formissiles, lay handy, ready for repairing the road, and the coincidencecaused Saurin's idea to become popular at once. 

"Let's have one for a cockshy. Here's Bismark. "

"He's a German, and I hate German; most abominable language I have hadto tackle yet. Stick Bismark up on that gate, and we will shy from theother side of the road. Stick him up, I say, you jabbering idiot. "

"Oh! sare, what pity to throw stone at the beautiful cast! Buy him andtake him home, no break him. "

In spite of his remonstrances the great chancellor was set up on thefive-barred gate, and the boys began to pelt him from the heap of stoneson the opposite side of the road. 

"And who is to pay me for my beautiful images?" asked the Italian, insome trepidation for his money, it being difficult to say which of allthese eccentric young savages was the actual purchaser. 

"Oh! whoever does not hit it shall owe you for it. "

"But I should like that you pay now, before you throw. "

"Why, you idiot, how can we tell who hits and who misses beforehand. Stand out of the way can't you!"

"Good shot!" "That was near. " "That has got him!" and down went thebust in fragments. Then a Cupid was exposed to missiles far moresubstantial than his own, and succumbed. His mama was next sent up bythese young Goths; fancy Venus herself being put in the pillory andstoned! What one thing after that could they be expected to respect?Not the infant Samuel, who, in spite of his supplicatory attitude, foundno pity. Not Sir Garnet Wolseley, who was exposed to as hot a fire ashe had ever been under before, with worse luck; not Mr Gladstone, norMinerva, nor Tennyson. The spirit of mischief, the thirst fordestruction, grew wilder by gratification, and soon the whole stock ofmodels was reduced to a heap of plaster fragments. 

"Ah! well, I have sell them all quick to-day, " said the Italian, puttinga good face on the business, which yet looked to him rather doubtful, and it is very rare for people to indulge in mischief at their ownexpense. "It is twenty shilling, one pound you owe me, sare, " he addedto Saurin. 

"I owe you!" cried Saurin. "I like that! Why, I hit more of them thananyone else, and it was those who missed the lot who were to beresponsible. Go to them, man. "

"Oh! gentleman, kind gentleman, you are making fun of me. You speak tome first; you say, `Put up the figures for shy. ' I poor man, yougentleman. You laugh! Give me my money, you sare, or you, or you;" andthe Italian grasped his long black hair with both hands, and dancedabout in a manner which amused his tormentors greatly, and theirlaughter put him a rage. 

"You rob me, " he cried, "I will go to the police; I will have you put inprison if you no pay me. Give me my money. "

"We will make a cockshy of you if you don't look out, " said one; andanother actually threw a stone at him, an example which others werepreparing to follow, when Crawley, with a group of boys who had seennothing of the early part of the business, came up, and seemed inclinedto take the Italian's part. The aggressors dropped their stones quietlyand began to slip away. 

"It's a beastly shame, and a disgrace to the school, " said Crawleyindignantly. Saurin heard him as he hurried off, and if he had had anymoney in his pocket he would have turned back, thrown it to the imageman, and asked Crawley what he meant. But being without funds he wasobliged to make off while he could, or the Italian would fix on him andfollow him home. For to break away and show him a fair pair of heelsacross country would be impossible after an altercation with his school-fellow; it would be putting himself in too humiliating a position. Sohe walked on at a sharp pace, choking with suppressed passion. 

"Where he live, that fellow; where he live?" cried the Italian. "PerBaccho, I will have the police to him! You know him, excellenza; tellme where he live?"

"I will not tell you that, " said Crawley. "But here's half-a-crown foryou. "

A considerable number of boys had now collected, and as example, whetherfor good or evil, has an extraordinary effect on either boys or men, acollection was started. Some gave a shilling, some sixpence, and a sumof ten shillings was made up altogether, which was probably quite asmuch as the figures were worth. So the Italian calmed down and driedhis eyes, for he had been crying like a child, and with a profusion ofthanks took up his board and went his way. And it being time to go backto Weston, all the boys started off in that direction, leaving MrWobbler to tramp backwards and forwards between his milestones insolitude. Of course some kind friend told all this to Saurin, and itexasperated him still more, if that was possible. One thing he wasdetermined upon, Crawley must be repaid the money he had given to theItalian figure-seller at once. After hunting in all his waistcoatpockets and his drawers he could only raise eighteenpence, so he went toEdwards' room. 

"Look here, old fellow, " he said; "lend me a shilling till Monday, Iwant it particularly. "

"I'm awfully sorry, " replied Edwards, "I have not got one. "

"I'll pay you back on Monday, honour bright. "

"I know you would; it isn't that. I assure you I am not making excuses;you should have it directly if it were possible; but I am as pennilessas a fellow can be, not so much as a postage-stamp have I got. "

"I must get a shilling somehow; whom to ask?"

"Ask Griffiths; he always has money, " suggested Edwards. 

"Hang the fellow, yes, " said Saurin. "But he will make such a favour ofit if he lends it, and he is just as likely as not to refuse. I haveit, though! He offered me half-a-crown for my crossbow last term, and Iwould not let him have it; he shall now. "

The crossbow in question was an ingenious little thing about six incheslong, the bow of steel, the string of catgut, the stock and barrel ofwood, and it projected marbles or spherical bullets with veryconsiderable force. It would raise a bump on the head at twenty yards, and break a window at thirty. Griffiths also lived in Mr Cookson'shouse, so that Saurin had only to go to his own room, get out, dust, andrub up the article, which had lain in a corner forgotten, and go up theother staircase. 

"I say, Griffiths, " he began; "in turning out some old things I havejust come across this little steel bow which you wanted to buy of me, you know. I am tired of it now, and so you can have it if you like. Half-a-crown, I think, you said that you would give, was it not?"

Griffiths coveted the toy as much or more than ever he had done, but hewas a born dealer; and when he saw that the other was anxious to sell heassumed indifference in order to lower the price. 

"Why, you see, " he said, "last term is not this term. I was prettyflush just then, and had a fancy for the thing. Now the money has gone, and I don't so much care. "

"You won't have it then? oh! very well; all right. "

"Stop, don't be in a hurry; I'll give you eighteenpence for it. "

"Make it two shillings, " urged Saurin. 

"No; eighteenpence or nothing, " Griffiths persisted. 

"You old Jew! Well, here it is then, " said Saurin. 

"Have you got a shilling?" asked Griffiths. "I have only got half-a-crown; but if you can give me change--"

Saurin took the coin, giving back a shilling without further remark. Hewas thinking that it would be more effective to offer Crawley the largercoin, instead of fumbling with small money, and the notion pleased him. Besides he was not particularly disappointed; so long as he got what hewanted at the moment, it was not his nature to look much further. Buthe did not sleep much that night. Again this Crawley had scored offhim, by putting himself in the position of generous benefactor andchivalrous defender of the weak, with him (Saurin) for his foil. Therewas one comfort; he was not so much afraid of Crawley as he did notconceal from himself that he had once been. Hitherto he had feared thatif it came to a quarrel, he would not get the best of it, and this hadcaused him to restrain himself on many occasions when he had longed togive vent to his feelings. But, now that he had skill and science onhis side, the case was different, and the balance in his favour; and ifthis wonderful Crawley, whom everybody made such a fuss about, did notlike what he had to say to him, he might do the other thing. 

The boys were gathered about the quadrangle in groups, waiting to go infor eight o'clock school, for the different class-rooms were not opentill the master of each came with his key and unlocked the door, bywhich time all the class were expected to be outside, ready to go inwith him. And so it was the custom to assemble rather early, and now, though it was ten minutes to the hour by the big clock, the majority hadarrived. Directly Saurin came he looked for Crawley, and saw himstanding chatting with some other fellows. He walked straight up tohim. 

"Oh, Crawley!" he said, "I hear that you paid that Italian blackguardhalf-a-crown for his broken crockery yesterday, and since he made hisclaim upon _me_, though I owed him nothing, I don't choose to let itlook as if you had paid anything for me, so here is your money back;"and he tendered the half-crown, which the other did not put his hand outto receive. This exasperated Saurin still more. "Take it, " he said;"only I'll thank you not to be so confoundedly officious again. "

"I don't want your money, " said Crawley quietly. "You are entirelymistaken; I paid nothing for you. If I knew the image man's address Iwould forward him your half-crown, but I do not. So you must hunt it upfor yourself if you want to make restitution. "

"But you paid him the money. "

"That was an act of private charity. The man whom you call ablackguard--I don't know why, for _he_ had not been destroying anydefenceless person's property--had had a scoundrelly trick played him, and I and some other fellows got up a subscription for him, as anyonewith a spark of gentlemanly feeling would be inclined to do. I am sorrythat your contribution is tendered too late, but so it is. "

"So you call me a blackguard and a scoundrel, do you?" hissed Saurin, who was quite beside himself with rage; and certainly Crawley's speechwas the reverse of soothing. "You stuck-up, hypocritical, canting, conceited prig, I should like to break your nose for you. "

"Break away, my hearty, " said Crawley, putting his hands up; "but I amnot a plaster of Paris image, mind you, and can hit back. "

The sneer was another spur to Saurin's passion; his temples throbbed asif they would burst, and his look was as evil as a painter, wanting amodel for Mephistopheles, could have desired, as he sprang at his enemywith an inarticulate cry, and struck at him with all his force. Theboys closed round them, eager, expectant, those at a distance runningup. But blows were hardly exchanged before someone cried, "Look out;here's the Doctor!" and the combatants were separated, and the crowddispersed in an instant. 

"We will meet again, I hope, " said Saurin. 

"Any time you like, " replied Crawley. 

"On Saturday afternoon in The Dell, then. "

"I shall be there, and I hope we shall not be interrupted. " And theywalked off in different directions, trying to look as if nothing was thematter, which was not so easy, Saurin being hardly able to restrain hisexcitement, and Crawley being flushed about the forehead, where theother's fist had struck him; otherwise he was no more discomposed thanusual, and, being put on to construe soon after entering the school, acquitted himself very well and with the most perfect _sang froid_. Fortunately Saurin was not subjected to the same ordeal or he would havebeen considerably flustered, if not totally unable to fix his mind onthe subject; and he might have excited suspicion as to something unusualgoing on, which again might have caused inquiry, and so spoiled sport. But he was not called up, the redness of Crawley's brow remainedunnoticed, and all was satisfactory. This was Thursday, so there was aday's intermission before the fight, which was the general school topic. The weather, which had been very fine in the early part of the term, had broken up, the sodden grass was unfavourable for cricket and lawn-tennis, so that this little excitement came in just at the convenienttime. I wonder why everything connected with fighting is sointeresting! Little children love playing at soldiers best of allgames, and delight in destroying whole tin armies with pea-shootingartillery. With what silent eagerness the newspapers are devoured inwar-time when the details of a battle appear! If two cocks in a farm-yard get at one another the heaviest bumpkin from the plough-tail, whoseems incapable of an emotion, grows animated. I suppose it is becauseof the animal nature of which we partake which frequently excites us toprey on other animals and quarrel with one another. Fights were veryrare at Weston, but they took place occasionally, and there was even atraditional spot called the Fairies' Dell, or more commonly The Dell, where they were brought off. But for a boy of the standing and positionof Crawley, --in the highest form, captain of the eleven, secretary andtreasurer of the cricket and football clubs--to be engaged in such anaffair was unprecedented, and the interest taken in it was so great asto set the whole school in a ferment. The dislike borne by Saurin tothe other was well known, as also that he had attributed his expulsionfrom the eleven to him, though unjustly, since public opinion had beenwell nigh unanimous on the point. As for the chances of the combatants, only the small clique who frequented Slam's, most of whom had seen himsparring with the gloves, favoured that of Saurin. The general idea wasthat the latter was mad to try conclusions with one so superior to himin every way, and that Crawley would lick him into fits in about tenminutes. As for the champions themselves, they awaited the ordeal invery different frames of mind. To Crawley the whole thing was anunmitigated bore. It would get him into some trouble with theauthorities probably; it was inconsistent with his position in theschool, and was setting a bad example; then he could hardly expect toavoid a black eye, and it was only three weeks to the holidays, by whichtime his bruises would hardly have time to disappear. His family werestaying for the summer at Scarborough, and his sisters wrote himenthusiastic accounts of the lawn-tennis parties there. How could hepresent himself in decent society, with one of his eyes in mourning?But he saw something comic in his own annoyance, and it did not affecthim sufficiently to interfere with his studies or amusements. Heneither feared the contest nor desired it. He had no wish to quarrelwith Saurin, a fellow he did not care for, it is true, but whom he didnot think sufficiently about to dislike. He thought rather better ofhim for having the pluck to attack him, and was a little ashamed of hisown bitter words which had goaded the other into doing it. But reallythe fellow had addressed him in such an overbearing and insolent mannerthat he could not help replying as he did. After all, if he had tofight someone, he would rather it were Saurin than anyone else, since heappeared to hate him so much. 

But if Crawley was cool about the matter, his antagonist was very muchthe reverse. When his passion expended itself, he was not free fromapprehension of the consequences of what he had done. Supposing he wereignominiously defeated, after having provoked the contest, what ahumiliating position he would be placed in? In every way in which hehad competed with Crawley he had hitherto been worsted, and he could nothelp fearing lest this superiority should still be maintained. However, the die was cast, he was in for it now, and must go through with it asbest he could, and, after all, his recently acquired skill must standhim in good stead. Reason in this way as he might, however, he wasnervous, and could not settle to anything for long. On Friday night, while Crawley was working in his room, there came a knock at the door, and when he called out, "Come in!" Tom Buller entered. 

"I have got something I want to tell you, Crawley, " he said. "I havejust found out that Saurin has been taking lessons in boxing. "

"Oh! of whom? Stubbs, Edwards, or someone equally formidable?"

"No; of Wobbler the pedestrian, who was once a pugilist, and who hasbeen giving boxing lessons at Slam's. "

"Oh! I see, that is what has screwed his courage up to the properpitch. I understand it all now. "

"Yes, but avoid wrestling with him; he is good at the cross-buttock, Ihear. May I be your second?"

"Certainly you may, if you like; Robarts is the other, and thank you forwishing it, Buller. "

CHAPTER SIX. 

THE FIGHT. 

Beyond the fields where cricket was played there was a little wood, andin this wood a circular hollow, like a pond, only there was no water init. It was a wonderful spot for wild flowers in the spring, and thatwas probably the reason why some romantic person had named it TheFairies' Dell. The boys, who were not romantic, as a rule, dropped theFairies, and called it The Dell. As has been said, this spot was chosenas the arena for the few fistic encounters which the annals of Westoncould enumerate, and a better place for the purpose there could hardlybe. There was plenty of room for a ring at the bottom, and the gentlysloping sides would accommodate a large number of spectators, all ofwhom had a good sight of what was going on, while the whole party wereconcealed from view. 

At four o'clock on the Saturday afternoon this hollow was thicklystudded with Westonians, and all the best places taken. The mastersusually took advantage of the half-holiday to go out somewhere for theafternoon, but still ordinary precautions to avoid observation had notbeen neglected. The boys did not repair to the appointed spot in largenoisy bodies, but in small groups, quietly and unostentatiously. Someof them took their bats and balls out, and began playing at cricket, andthen stole off to the rendezvous, which was close to them. Saurin wasfirst on the ground; he stood under the trees at the edge of the dellwith Edwards and Stubbs, who acted as his seconds, trying to laugh andchat in an unconcerned manner, but he was pale, could hardly keephimself still in one position, and frequently glanced stealthily in thedirection by which the other would come. Not to blink matters betweenthe reader and myself, he was in a funk. Not exactly a _blue_ funk, youknow, but still he did not half like it, and wished he was well out ofit. 

Presently there was a murmur, and a movement, and Crawley, with Robartsand Tom Buller on each side of him, and a knot of others following, appeared. Without saying a word both boys went down the sides of thedell to the circular space which had been carefully left for them at thebottom, took off their jackets, waistcoats, and braces, and gave them totheir seconds, who folded them up and laid them aside, tied pocket-handkerchiefs round their waists, turned up the bottoms of theirtrousers, and stepped into the middle of the arena. 

"Won't you offer to shake hands?" said Stubbs to Saurin. "I believe itis usual on such occasions. "

"Pooh!" replied Saurin, "that is in friendly encounters, to show thereis no malice. There is plenty of malice here, I can promise you. " Hefinished rolling up his shirt sleeves to the armpits as he spoke, andwalked to the middle of the ring, where Crawley confronted him. Allwere wrapped in breathless attention as the two put up their hands, andevery note of a thrush singing in a tree hard by could be distinctlyheard. 

The two boys were just about the same height and age, but Crawley had aslightly longer reach in the arms, and was decidedly more "fit" andmuscular. But, on the other hand, it was evident directly they puttheir hands up, that Saurin was the greatest adept at the business. Thecarriage of his head and body, and the way he worked his arm and foottogether, showed this. He moved round his adversary, advancing, retiring, feinting, watching for an opening. Crawley stood firm, withhis eyes fixed on those of his antagonist, merely turning sufficientlyto face him. At length Saurin, judging his distance, sent out his lefthand sharply, and caught Crawley on the right cheekbone. Crawley hitback in return, but beat the air; Saurin was away. Again Saurin cameweaving in, and again he put a hit in without a return. The same thinghappened a third, a fourth, and a fifth time, and then Crawley, stung bythe blows, went at the other wildly, hitting right and left, but, over-reaching himself, lost his balance and rolled over. The lookers on wereastonished; they had expected Saurin to be beaten from the first, andthough Crawley was so popular, murmurs of applause were heard, such isthe effect of success. Buller knelt on his left knee so that Crawleymight sit on his right. In the same manner Saurin sat on Edwards' knee. Saurin's face had not been touched, while that of Crawley was flushedand bleeding. 

"You will not be able to touch his face just yet, " said Buller. "Fightat his body and try to hit him in the wind. And never mind what I saidyesterday about closing with him, we must risk his cross-buttock, andyour superior strength may serve you. "

"Time! time!" cried the boys, and the antagonists jumped up from theirseconds' knees, and met again. Saurin had lost all his nervousness now;his superiority was evident, and he felt nothing but triumph andgratified malice. He did not stop to spar now, but directly he waswithin reach hit out with confidence. Crawley took the blow withoutflinching or attempting to parry it, and sent his right fist with allhis strength into Saurin's ribs, just as Buller had directed him. Saurin recovered himself, and the round went on, Crawley being furthermauled about the face, neck, and head, but getting a hit in now on theother's body, now a round right-hander on his side or the small of hisback. In the end they grappled, wrestled, and rolled over together, andwere then helped by their seconds to their respective corners. Saurin'sface was still untouched, but he puffed and panted for breath, andseemed to feel the effect of the body blows. 

"That is capital, " said Buller to Crawley; "stick to that for thepresent, he will soon begin to tire. "

"Why, Buller, you seem to be quite up to this sort of thing!" saidRobarts in surprise. 

"My elder brother went in for the Queensbury cups, and is always talkingabout boxing and fighting: that's how I know, " replied Buller quietly. 

"And that is why you wished to be my second?" asked Crawley, who, thoughhis face was a pitiable object, was perfectly cool and self-possessed, and not a bit blown or tired. 

"Yes, " replied Buller; and "Time!" was again called. 

The mass of the spectators looked upon the fight as won by Saurinalready, and all the cheering was for him now. This opinion was furtherstrengthened presently, for Crawley, seeing his antagonist panting, thought that at last he might get on equal terms with him, and rushed into fight at close quarters, but he was met by a straight blow fromSaurin's left fist right between the eyes, which knocked him fairly downon the broad of his back, where he lay quite dazed for a moment, tillRobarts and Buller assisted him to his corner. The cheering and thecries of "Bravo, Saurin!" "Well hit, Saurin!" were loud and long; manythought that Crawley would not come up again. But though puffed aboutboth eyes, and with a considerably swollen nose, Crawley was soon allright again, and as lively as when he began. 

"If I only could mark him!" he said to his seconds. "It is so absurd tosee him with his face untouched. "

"Wait a bit, " replied Buller. "Keep on pegging at his body andwrestling; I'll tell you when to go for his face. He is getting weakerfor all that hit last round. "

This was true, for Saurin's blows, though they got home, had no longerthe force they had at first. In one round, after a severe struggle, hethrew Crawley heavily, but the exertion told more upon himself than uponthe one thrown. And he began to flinch from the body blows, and keephis hands down. Loafing, beer-drinking, and smoking began to tell theirtale, in fact, and at last Buller said, "Now you may try to give him oneor two in the face. "

They had been at it nearly half an hour, and Crawley, who had beentaking hard exercise daily and leading a healthy temperate life, was asstrong as when he first took his jacket off. He could hardly see out ofhis right eye, and his face and neck were so bruised and tender thatevery fresh blow he received gave him exquisite pain. But his wits werequite clear, he had not lost his temper, and when down, in a few minuteshe was ready to stand up again. He easily warded off a nerveless blowof his antagonist, returned it with one from his left hand on the body, and then sent his right fist for the first time straight into Saurin'sface. Saurin got confused and turned half round; Crawley following uphis advantage, followed him up step by step round the ring, and at lastfairly fought him down amidst cheers from the boys, the tide ofpopularity turning in his favour again. 

"You have marked him now, and no mistake, " said Buller to Crawley as hesat on his knee. And there could be no doubt about that. The revulsionof feeling Saurin had gone through was great. After establishing hissuperiority, and feeling confident of an easy victory, to find hisadversary refuse so persistently to know when he was beaten! To see himcome up time after time to take more hammering without flinching waslike a nightmare. And he felt his own strength going from the sheerexertion of hitting; and when he knocked Crawley down he hurt his lefthand, which it was painful to strike with afterwards. Again, the bodyblows he received and thought little of at first began to make him feelqueer, and now, when the other took a decided lead, he lost his head andgot wild. For he was not thoroughly "game:" he had not got thatstubborn, somewhat sullen spirit of endurance which used to be so greata characteristic of the English, and we will hope is not extinct yet, for it would be sad indeed to think that it had passed away. Abrilliant act of daring with plenty of spectators and high hope ofsuccess is one thing; but to stand at bay when all chance seems gone, determined to die hard and never give in, is quite another. I like tosee a fellow spurting when he is distanced; catching his horse, remounting, and going in pursuit after a bad fall; going back to hisbooks and reading harder than ever for another try directly the list hascome out without his name in it--never beaten, in short, until the lastremotest chance is over. That is the spirit which won at Agincourt, atWaterloo, at Meeanee, at Dubba, at Lucknow, at Rorke's Drift. It wasthis that Saurin was deficient in, and that would have now stood him insuch stead. Edwards was not the one to infuse any of it into him, forhe was as much dismayed by the effects of the last round as his friendhimself. Stubbs, indeed, tried to cheer him, inciting him to pullhimself together, spar for wind, and look out for a chance with hissound right hand, but he was not a youth to carry influence with him. 

In the next round Crawley closed with his adversary, who, when he atlast struggled loose, rolled ignominiously over on the ground, and inpoint of beauty there was nothing to choose now between the visages ofthe two combatants. 

"I--I can't fight any more, " said Saurin, as he was held up on Edwards'knee, to which he had been dragged with some difficulty. 

"Oh! have another go at him, " urged Stubbs; "he is as bad as you are, and you will be all right presently if you keep away a bit, and get downthe first blow. Just get your wind, and science must tell. "

"But I'm so giddy, I--I can't stand, " said Saurin. 

"Time!" was called, and Crawley sprang off his second's knee as strongas possible, but he stood in the middle of the ring alone. 

"It's no good; he can't stand, " cried Edwards. And then a tremendouscheering broke out, and everybody pressed forward to congratulateCrawley and pat him on the back. But he made his way over to Saurin, and offered to shake hands. 

"It all luck, " he said. "You are better at this game than I am, and youwould have licked me if you had not hurt your left hand. And look here, I had no right to speak as I did. And--and if you thought I wanted toget you out of the eleven you were mistaken. "

Saurin was too dazed to feel spiteful just then; he had a vague ideathat Crawley wanted to shake hands, and that it would be "bad form" tohold back, so he put his right hand out and murmured somethingindistinctly. 

"Stand back, you fellows, " said Crawley, "he is fainting. Give him achance of a breath of air. "

And indeed Saurin had to be carried up out of the dell, laid on his backunder the trees, and have water dashed in his face, before he could puton his jacket and waistcoat and walk back to his tutor's house. Andwhen he arrived there he was in such pain in the side that he had to goto bed. Crawley himself was a sorry sight for a victor. But hisdiscomforts were purely local, and he did not feel ill at all; on thecontrary, he was remarkably hungry. Buller was with him when he washedand changed his shirt, for he had been applying a cold key to the backof his neck to stop the nose-bleeding, and now remained, like aconscientious second, lest it should break out again. 

"I say, Buller, " said Crawley suddenly, "_you_ never go to Slam's, Ihope?"

"Not I. "

"Then how do you know such a lot about prize-fighting?"

"I told Robarts; my elder brother is very fond of everything connectedwith sparring, and has got a lot of reports of matches, and I have readall the prize-fights that ever were, I think. I used to take greatinterest in them, and thought I might remember something which wouldcome in useful. There is a great sameness in these things, you know, and the principles are simple. "

"I am sure I am much obliged to you for offering to be my second; Ishould have been licked but for you. "

"I don't know that. I think you would have thought of fighting at hiswind when you could not reach his face for yourself, and tired him outanyhow. But if I have been useful I am glad. You took pains to try mybowling when most fellows would have laughed at the idea; and there isthe honour of the house too. What I feared was that you would notfollow what I said, but persist in trying to bore in. "

"Why, " replied Crawley, laughing, "Saurin backed up your advice withsuch very forcible and painful examples of the common sense of it, thatI should have been very pig-headed not to catch your meaning. But whatrot it all is!" he added, looking in the glass. "A pretty figure Ishall look at Scarborough, with my face all the colours of the prism, like a disreputable damaged rainbow!"

"There are three weeks yet to the holidays; you will be getting allright again by then, " said Buller. 

"I doubt it; it does not feel like it now, at all events, " repliedCrawley; and when supper-time came he was still more sceptical of a veryspeedy restoration to his ordinary comfortable condition. It was anabsurd plight to be in; he felt very hungry, and there was the food; thedifficulty was to eat it. It hurt his lips to put it in his mouth--saltwas out of the question--and it hurt his jaws to masticate it, and ithurt his throat to swallow it. But he got it down somehow, and thencame prayers, conducted as usual every evening by Dr Jolliffe, who, when the boys filed out afterwards, told him to remain. 

"By a process of elimination I, recognising all the other boys in myhouse, have come to the conclusion that you are Crawley, " said thedoctor solemnly. 

"Yes, sir, " replied Crawley. 

"Quantum mutatus ab illo! I should not have recognised you. Circumstantial evidence seems to establish the fact that you haveengaged in a pugilistic encounter. "

"Yes, sir. "

"And with whom?"

"I beg your pardon, sir; I hope that you will not insist on my telling. It was my fault; we had a dispute, and I spoke very provokingly. "

"Your mention of his name would not make much difference, if you were asbusy with your fists as he seems to have been. But I am disappointed inyou, Crawley; it vexes me that a boy of your age and standing in theschool, and whose proficiency in athletic sports gives you a certaininfluence, should brawl and fight like this. "

"It vexes me too, sir, I assure you. "

"You should have thought of that before. "

"So I did, sir, and also of the figure I should cut when I went home. "

"Well, certainly, " said the doctor, unable to help smiling, "I do notadvise you to have your photograph taken just at present. But youknow, " he added, forcing himself to look grave again, "I cannot overlookfighting, which is a very serious offence. You must write a Greek themeof not less than two pages of foolscap, on the Blessings of Peace, andbring it me on Tuesday. And apply a piece of raw meat, which I willsend up to your room, to your right eye. "

Crawley ran up-stairs rejoicing, for he had got off easier than heexpected, and the application of raw meat gave him great relief, so thatnext day the swellings had very much subsided, though his eyes wereblood-shot, and his whole face discoloured. But Saurin did not comeround so soon: there were symptoms of inflammation which affected hisbreathing, and induced his tutor, Mr Cookson, to send for the doctor, who kept his patient in bed for two days. He soon got all right againin body, but not in mind, for he felt thoroughly humiliated. This wasunnecessary, for it was agreed on all sides that he had made a first-rate fight of it, and he decidedly rose in the estimation of his school-fellows. But Saurin's vanity was sensitive to a morbid degree, and hebrooded over his defeat. A fight between two healthy-minded boysgenerally results in a close friendship, and Crawley made severalovertures to his late antagonist; but as they were evidently notwelcome, he soon desisted, for after all Saurin was not one of "hissort. " And the term, as it is the fashion now to call a "half, " came toan end, and though his wounds were healed, and his features restored totheir original shape, Crawley had to go to Scarborough like one ofGibson's statues, tinted. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

TREATING OF AN AIR-GUN AND A DOOR-KEY. 

Saurin met with a disappointment when he returned home. His uncle hadintended to go abroad and take him with him, but this intention wasfrustrated by an attack of gout, which kept him to his country home, where his nephew had to spend the entire vacation, and he found it thereverse of lively. Sir Richard Saurin's house stood in the midst of awell-timbered park, and there were some spinneys belonging to the placealso. At one time he had rented the shooting all round about, andpreserved his own woods; but it was a hunting country, and the havocmade by foxes was found to be so great that he gave up preserving indisgust, and so, growing lazy, made that an excuse for dropping theother field shooting, which passed into different hands. So now therewas no partridge-shooting, unless a stray covey chose to light in thepark, and there were very few pheasants, though the rabbits were prettynumerous. 

Sir Richard, being free from any paroxysm of his complaint when hisnephew arrived, laughed at his black eye. 

"Is that the result of your course of lessons in boxing?" he asked. 

"Well, Uncle Richard, I should have come worse off if I had not hadthem, " replied Saurin; "but one cannot fight without taking as well asgiving. "

"But why fight at all? That is not what you are sent to school for. "

"I never did before, and it is not likely to happen again, only I wasforced on this occasion to stand up for myself. "

"Well, well, " said Sir Richard, "I have something more serious to speakto you about. "

Saurin felt his heart beat; he feared for a moment that his visits toSlam's, and the impositions he had practised, had been discovered; butthis was not the case. 

"It is not a very good report I have received of you this time, "continued his guardian. "It seems that you have grown slack inattention to your studies, and have not made the progress which mightfairly be expected from a boy of your age and abilities. Now, it isonly right to warn you that the income left you by your father verylittle more than covers the expense of your education; and since aconsiderable portion of it consists of a pension, which will cease onyour being twenty-one, it will not be sufficient for your support, sothat you must make up your mind speedily what profession you will adopt, and must exert every effort to get into it. Our vicar here, a young mannewly come, is a mathematician and a good German scholar, two subjectswhich gain good marks, I am told, in all these competitive examinations, and I have made arrangements for you to read with him every morning fora couple of hours. "

This was not a very bright look-out for the summer holidays. "Since itwas so very necessary for him to work, it was perhaps well that heshould not have too much to distract him, " he said sarcastically; butfound some truth in the words, for he was forced into taking an interestin a German novel which the clergyman, with some tact, chose for him totranslate. But the life _was_ dull; when he sought out his formercompanions, the village scapegraces, he found that there had been agrand clear out of them; it was as if the parish had taken a moralpurgative. Bill had enlisted; Tom, the worst of the lot, had (it washis mother who spoke) "got into bad company and gone to Lunnon;" Dickand Jim were in prison, and Harry had reformed and been taken into agentleman's stables. Solitude!

His principal amusement was shooting rabbits. September was close athand, and if he had sought the society of his equals, instead of makinga bad name in the neighbourhood in former years, he would probably havehad more than one invitation to better sport amongst the partridges; buthe had such an evil reputation that the gentlemen of the county did notcovet his society for their sons. Now, rabbit shooting in the winter, with dogs to hunt the bunnies through brushwood, furze, or bracken, sothat snap-shots are offered as they dart across open places, is verygood fun; but the only way Saurin had of getting at them at this seasonwas by lying in wait in the evening outside the woods and shooting themwhen they came louping cautiously out. He found excitement in this atfirst, but it was impossible to miss such pot-shots for one thing, andhe got very few chances for another. The report of the gun frightenedthem all into the wood, not to venture out again for some time, probablytill it was too dark to distinguish them. The only chance was, when arabbit had been got at one place, to go off at once to another wood atsome distance and lie in ambush again there. In this way two, or atmost three shots might be got in the short period of dusk. Fond as hewas of carrying a gun, Saurin found this sport unsatisfactory after aweek or so, though it was infinitely better than not shooting anythingat all. But one day when he rode over to the county town, seven milesoff, for cartridges, he saw a small air-gun of a new and improvedpattern in the shop, which took his fancy very much indeed. It wasbeautifully finished, charged in the simplest way imaginable, and wouldcarry either a bullet or a small charge of shot, killing easily, the mansaid, with the former at fifty yards, and with the latter at five-and-twenty. It would require some skill to hit a rabbit in the head with abullet; and as there was no report to speak of, only a slight crack, killing or missing one would not scare the others. The price was nothigh, and as Sir Richard never objected to his having anything in reasonthat he wanted, and was, moreover, glad that the rabbits who committedsad havoc in the garden should be thinned down, he took it home with himand tried it that evening. Just about sunset he repaired to hisfavourite spot, a clump of three trees growing close together, behindwhich he could easily conceal himself. A wood, full of thickundergrowth, well nigh impenetrable, ran in front and made an angle tothe right, so that there were two sides from which the rabbits mightcome out. The air was perfectly still, not a leaf was stirring, andevery note of a bird that was warbling his evening song, positively thevery last before shutting up for the night, fell sharp and clear uponthe ear, as Saurin knelt behind the trees, gun in hand, eagerlywatching. Presently he saw something brown, rather far on his left, close to the wood. It came a little further out, and the long earscould be distinguished. 

Saurin was rather doubtful about the distance, but, eager to try his newweapon, he took a steady aim and pulled. No smoke, no fire, nothing buta slight smack such as a whip would make. The rabbit raised its head, listened, and hopped quietly back into the wood. A palpable miss. Butthere on the right was another, not thirty yards off this one. Saurinslewed round, got the sight well on its head, and pulled again. Thisrabbit did _not_ go back to the wood, but turned over, struggled alittle, and then lay still. Saurin did not run out to pick it up, butkept quiet, and presently another came out, to see what was the matterwith its friend apparently, for it louped up to the body; and he nailedthat. And he missed two and killed two more, and then the rabbitcommunity began to suspect there was something wrong, and kept in thewood. But, returning home, he stalked and shot another in the park, making a bag of five altogether, which pleased him immensely. 

Next day he tried the shot cartridges on blackbirds and sparrows in thegarden, and slaughtered not a few, to the gardener's great delight. Itwas not only the efficiency of so toy-like a weapon which pleasedSaurin; the silence and secrecy with which it dealt death had a charmfor him. And so it happened that when the time came for him to returnto Weston, he took the air-gun with him. It went into a very smallcompass, and was easily stowed in his portmanteau. He could smuggle itto Slam's and keep it there, and if he had no chance of using it, hecould still show it off to Edwards and his other intimates, and also tothe perhaps more appreciative eyes of Edwin Marriner and another, perhaps two other scamps of sporting tastes whom he met at Slam's oncertain afternoons, when they guzzled beer, and smoked, and playedsometimes at bagatelle, sometimes at cards, or tossed for coppers. Andthey won his money in a small way, and laughed at his jokes, and tookinterest in his bragging stories, and went into ecstasies over hissongs, and really liked and admired him in their fashion. So thedeparture of Mr Wobbler did not keep him away, and he went to the yardas much as ever. If he had won the fight it would probably have made adifference, and he might have tried once more to compete for influenceand popularity in the school. But now he had quite given up all ideasof that kind. He spoke to Crawley, and shook his hand with apparentcordiality when they first met after coming back, because he felt thatit would be ridiculous to show a resentment which he had proved himselfpowerless to gratify; but he hated him worse than ever, if possible. Ifthe breaking up of the boxing-class did not diminish Saurin's visits toSlam's, it had that effect on the other members of it. Stubbs wasfaithful to his dog, and Perry to his hawk, and there were other boyswho had pets there, or who liked to go on a wet day to see ratting, orthe drawing of the badger, an animal who lived in a tub, like Diogenes, and was tugged out of it by a dog, not without vigorous resistance, whenanyone chose to pay for the spectacle; the poor badger deriving nobenefit from the outlay. But such visits were fitful. Edwards, indeed, was faithful to his friend, but even Edwards did not care for Slam's anylonger. He had taken a violent passion for football, and often played, leaving Saurin to go to the yard alone. On Sundays, indeed, he couldnot play football, but neither did he like playing cards on that day. Saurin laughed him out of his scruples, but not all at once. But Saurindid not want companionship; he preferred that of Marriner and Company. 

Edwin Marriner was a young farmer in the neighbourhood of WestonCollege, and he farmed his own land. Certainly it was as small anestate as can well be imagined, consisting of exactly two acres, pasture, arable, cottage, and pig-stye included, but undoubted freehold, without a flaw in the title. He was just twenty-one when his fatherdied, a year before the time we are treating of, and then LordWoodruff's agent made him an offer for his inheritance, which he stuckto like a very Naboth. 

The price named was a good and tempting one, far more indeed than theland was worth; but when the money was spent he would have nothing forit but to become a mere labourer, or else to enlist, and he did notfancy either alternative, while he could manage to live, as his fatherdid before him, on his patch, which spade-labour made remunerative. Heworked for hire in harvest-time, and that brought something; the pig-stye yielded a profit, so did a cow, and there were a few pounds reapedannually from a row of beehives, for the deceased Marriner, though notvery enlightened generally, had learned, and taught his son the"depriving" system, and repudiated the idiotic old plan of stifling thestock to get the honey. All these methods of making both ends meet atthe end of the year were not only innocent but praiseworthy; but theMarriners had the reputation of making less honourable profits, and thatwas why Lord Woodruff was so anxious to get rid of them. The two acreslying indeed in the midst of his lordship's estates, was of itself areason why he should be inclined to give a fancy price for them; butwhen the proprietor was suspected of taking advantage of his situationto levy considerable toll on the game of his big neighbour, whopreserved largely, he became a real and an aggravated nuisance. 

Marriner, as his father had done, openly carried a gun, for which hepaid his license, and it was impossible, with reason, to blame him, forthe rabbits alone would have eaten up every particle of his little stockif he took no measures against them. If he shot an occasional pheasant, or his dog caught a hare, or even two, in the course of the season onhis own land, why, no one could wonder. But it was not necessary to sowbuckwheat in order to attract the pheasants. And he had no rightwhatever to set snares in Lord Woodruff's covers, which, though theycould not catch him, the gamekeepers were certain he did. One thingdecidedly against him in the opinion of the gentry round about, was thathe frequently visited Slam's, and Slam was regarded as a receiver ofstolen goods, certainly so far as game was concerned, perhaps in othermatters also. Edwin Marriner was a wiry-looking little man, with redhair and whiskers, quick bright eyes, and a look of cunning about hismouth. He had two propensities which interfered with one another: hewas very fond of strong drink and very fond of money. The drink wasdelightful, but to spend the money necessary to procure it was a fearfulpang. The best way out of the dilemma was to get someone to treat him, and this he did as often as he could. He had plenty of cunning andmother wit, and was skilled in woodcraft, but he was utterly innocent ofanything which could fairly be called education. He had been taught toread, but never exercised the gift; he could do an addition sum, andwrite, with much labour, an ill-spelled letter, and that was all. Andthis was the individual selected by Saurin for a companion, and, whosesociety he preferred to that of all his schoolfellows, Edwards notexcepted. On half-holidays he would go to his little farm (which washalf-an-hour's walk too far for ordinary occasions, now the days hadgrown short, and "All In, " was directly after five-o'clock school), andtalk to him while he was at work, for Marriner was industrious, thoughwith a dishonest twist, and if he went to Slam's yard so often now itwas because his gentleman friend brought some grist to his mill, besidesoften standing beer for him, and because he had business relations withSlam; though he liked the boy's company too, and admired his precociouspreference for crooked ways, and hatred of lawful restraint. The factwas that they were drawn together by a strong propensity which wascommon to both, and which formed a never-failing topic of interestingconversation. This propensity was a love of sport, especially ifindulged secretly, unlawfully, and at the expense of somebody else; in aword, they were arrant poachers, the man in fact, the boy at heart. Notbut what Saurin had snared a hare too in his time. 

For some time Marriner had been chary of confessing his depredations, for he was careful about committing himself, especially to a gentleman, who might naturally be supposed to side with the game-preservers. Butwhen the ice was broken he talked freely enough, and from that time theintimacy commenced. Yet at times he had qualms, and feared that he hadbeen rash to depart from his custom of close secrecy; and it oftenoccurred to him that it would be well to draw Saurin into some act ofcomplicity, and so seal his lips effectually and for ever. He felt andexpressed great admiration for the air-gun, and suggested that theyshould try it some moonlight night upon the roosting pheasants. Thiswas treated as a joke at first; a romantic idea which could not, ofcourse, be carried into practice; but after it had been referred to, anddiscussed again and again, it did not look so utterly impossible. Theprincipal difficulty was the getting out at night, but after manycareful inspections of his tutor's premises Saurin saw how this might bemanaged. There was a small back-yard into which the boys had access atany time; this was surrounded by a high wall with a _chevaux de frise_at the top, which might be considered insurmountable unless one wereJack Sheppard or the Count of Monte Christo. But there was a door atthe bottom, seldom used, hardly ever, indeed, except when coals came in. Outside there was a cart track, and then open field. It was thesimplest thing, a mere question of obtaining a key to this door, and hecould walk out whenever he liked. Yes, but how to get the key, whichwas taken by the servant to Mrs Cookson when not in use? To watch whencoals were next brought in for an opportunity of purloining it would beworse than useless, for a new lock would be put to the door, andsuspicion aroused. An idea occurred to him; he had read of impressionsof keys being taken in wax, and duplicates being made from them. Heasked Marriner if it were possible to get this done, and the reply wasyes, that he knew a friendly blacksmith who would make a key to fit anylock, of which he had the wards in wax, for a matter of say fiveshillings, which was leaving a handsome margin of profit for himself, wemay remark in passing. Five shillings was a lot, Saurin thought, whenhe was not sure that he would use the key if he had it. Marriner didnot know, perhaps it could be done for three; at any rate he might aswell have the wax by him in case he got a chance. Curiously enough, hethought he had some in the house, though he sold all his honey in thecomb as a rule. But a hive had been deserted, and he knew he had meltedthe wax down, and it must be somewhere. It was, and he found it, and hegot a key and showed Saurin how to take an impression of it. 

"Why, you have done it before then!" said Saurin. 

"P'raps, " replied Marriner, with a side glance of his cunning eyes. "Apoor man has to turn his hand to a bit of everything in these hardtimes. "

It was an early winter, and the weather turned very cold, which caused agreat consumption of fuel. And one morning, on coming in to his tutor'sfrom early school, Saurin heard the small thunder of coals being pouredinto the cellar, and saw the yard door open, a wagon outside, and a manstaggering from it under a sack. He ran up to his room, threw down hisbooks, took the wax, and went back to the yard door, where he took agreat interest in the unlading of the sacks. A fine sleet was falling, with a bitter north-east wind, to make it cut the face, so that therewere none of the servants outside, and no one to see him but the two menwho were busied in their work. Never was such an opportunity. He hadthe least possible difficulty in taking the key out of the lock, pressing it on the wax in the palm of his hand, in the way Marriner hadshown him, and replacing it without attracting observation. Then hereturned to his room, whistling carelessly, and putting the wax, whichhad the wards of the key sharply defined upon it, in a seidlitz-powderbox, to prevent the impression being injured, he locked it up in hisbureau and went to breakfast. 

Now that this had been accomplished so favourably, it seemed a pity notto have the key made. He might probably never want to use it; butstill, there was a pleasant sense of superiority in the knowledge thathe was independent of the "All In, " and could get out at any hour of thenight that he chose. So the next time he went to Marriner's cottage hetook the box containing the wax with him, and Marriner paid him the highcompliment that a professional burglar could not have done the jobbetter. A week after, he gave him the key, and one night, aftereveryone had gone to bed, Saurin stole down-stairs, out into the yard, and tried it. It turned in the lock easily, the door opened withoutnoise, and he was free to go where he liked. Only there was no place sogood as bed to go to, so he closed and locked the door again, and wentback to his room, feeling very clever and a sort of hero. I am sure Ido not know why. No one was taken into his confidence but Edwards, andhe only because it was necessary to talk to somebody about his poachingschemes, and to excite wonder and admiration at his inventive skill anddaring courage, and this Edwards was ready at all times to express. Hewas never taken to Marriner's, but he still occasionally accompanied hisfriend to the yard--on Sundays, usually, because of the card-playing, towhich he had taken a great fancy. He still thought in his heart that itwas very wrong, but Saurin laughed at such scruples as being so verychildish and silly that he was thoroughly ashamed of them. Saurin, whowas so clever and manly that he must know better than he did, saw noharm. Besides, he was very fond of playing at cards, and though he didnot much like the very low company he met at Slam's yard now, he toldhimself that what was fit for Saurin was fit for him, and it wasdesirable, beneficial, and the correct thing to see life in all itsphases. His hero's defeat by Crawley had not diminished his devotionone iota, for he attributed it entirely to Saurin having crippled hisleft hand when he knocked his adversary down. Even then he believedthat Saurin would have won, only Crawley was in training, and the otherwas not. Crawley was all very well, but he lacked that bold and heroicdefiance of authority which fascinated Edwards (himself the mostsubordinate soul by nature, by the way). The idea of Crawley's daringeven to dream of going poaching, or breaking out at night, or having afalse key made! No, he was a good commonplace fellow enough, but Saurinwas something unusual, --which it is fervently to be hoped he was. PoorEdwards, with his weak character, which made it necessary for him tobelieve in someone and yield him homage; what a pity it was he had notfixed on a different sort of hero to worship!

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

ANOTHER PROJECT OF EVASION. 

Frost, hard, sharp, crisp, and unmistakable; do you like it? It is veryunpleasant when you get up of a morning; the water is so cold. And thengoing to school shivering, and being put on to construe when you havethe hot ache in your fingers, is trying to the patience, especially ifone is inclined to self-indulgence, and is aided and abetted when athome by one's mother. 

But everything has its compensations. Without work play would become abore; if there were no hunger and thirst there would be no pleasure ineating and drinking; even illness is followed by convalescence, withstory-books to read instead of lessons, and licence to lie in bed aslong as you like, and so there is the delight, in very cold weather, ofgetting warm again; and there is also skating. Whether we like it ornot we have to put up with it when it comes, and it came that year at anunusual time, before the end of November. We often indeed have just atouch at that period, three days about, and then sleet and rain; butthis was a regular good one, thermometer at nineteen Fahrenheit, nowind, no snow, and the gravel-pits bearing. The gravel-pits were socalled because there was no gravel there. There had been, but it wasdug out, and carted away before the memory of the oldest inhabitant, andthe cavities were filled with water. There were quite three acres ofavailable surface altogether, and not farther than a mile from Weston;but "_Ars longa, vita brevis est_;" the art of cutting figures is long, and the period of practice short indeed. Considering the price spent onskates in England, and the few opportunities of putting them on, itseems barbarous of masters not to give whole holidays when the ice_does_ bear. But then what would parents and guardians say? A boycannot skate himself into the smallest public appointment, and the ruleof three is of much more importance to his future prospects than thecutting of that figure. The Westonians made the most they could oftheir opportunity, however, and whenever they had an hour to spare thegravel-pits swarmed with them. Their natural tendency was to rapidrunning, racing, and hockey; but Leblanc, who was born in Canada, wherehis father held an appointment, and who had worn skates almost as soonas he had shoes, did such wonderful things as set a large number of thempractising figure skating. Buller was bitten by the mania; he had nevertried anything before but simple straightforward running on the flat ofthe skate with bent knees, so he had a great deal to learn; but with hisusual persistency, when he once took anything in hand he did not regardthe difficulties, and only dreaded lest he should not have sufficientopportunity of practising. He began, of course, by endeavouring tomaster the outside edge, which is the grammar of figure skating, andwatched Leblanc, but could make nothing out of that, for Leblanc seemedto move by volition, as some birds appear to skim along without anymotion of the wings. He could not give hints, or show how anything wasdone, because he could not understand where any difficulty lay. It waslike simple walking to him; you get up and walk, you could not show anyone exactly _how_ to walk. 

But there were two or three other fair skaters from whom more could belearned; Penryhn, for example, was a very decent performer of simplefigures. He came from a northern county, where there was yearlyopportunity of practice, and had been taught by his father, who was anexcellent skater. 

"The first great thing you must always bear in mind, " said he, "is thatthe leg upon which you stand, while on the outside edge, must be keptstraight and stiff, with the knee rigidly braced. You see some fellowsthere practising by crossing the legs; while they are on one leg theybring the other in front, and across it, before they put it down on theice. This certainly forces you to get on to the outside edge, but ittwists the body into a wrong position--one in which the all-importantthing in skating, balance, cannot be acquired. Besides, it gets youinto a way of bringing the foot off the ground to the front, whereas itought always to be a little behind the one you are skating on, and ittakes as long to get out of that habit as to learn the outside edgealtogether pretty well. Why, here is Old Algebra positively with a pairof skates on!"

"Old Algebra, " as a mathematical genius, whose real name was Smith, wascalled, skated very well too. 

"Look here, Algebra, " cried Penryhn, "I am trying to show Buller how todo the outside edge; can't you give him a scientific wrinkle?"

"The reason why you find an initial difficulty in the matter, " saidAlgebra gravely, adjusting his spectacles, "is that you naturallysuppose that if you bend so far out of the perpendicular, the laws ofgravity must cause you to fall. But that is because you omit thecentrifugal force from your consideration; remember what centrifugalforce is, Buller, and it will give you confidence. "

"Oh, I have confidence enough!" said Buller; "it's the power of gettingon to the edge without overbalancing myself that I want, and all thatrot about the laws of gravity won't help me. "

"I fancied they wouldn't, but Penryhn asked for a scientific wrinkle. If you want a practical one, keep the head and body erect, never lookingdown at the ice; when you strike out with the right foot, look over theright shoulder; body and foot are sure to follow the eye, and clasp yourhands behind you, or keep them at your sides; do anything but sway themabout. That's it, you got on to the outside edge then; now boldly withthe left foot, and look over the left shoulder. Never mind (Buller hadcome a cropper); you fell then because you did not let yourself go, butwhen your skate took the outside edge you tried to recover. You lackedconfidence, in short, in the centrifugal force, and bothered yourself, instinctively, without knowing it, with the laws of gravity. Try again;you stick to that. Rigidity. Right foot--look over right shoulder, nottoo far, just a turn of the head. Left foot--look over left shoulder. There, you did not fall then. Trust to the centrifugal force, that'sthe thing, " and he swept away with a long easy roll. 

"A capital coach he would make, " said Penryhn, admiringly. "He alwaystells you just what you want to know without bothering. "

"Yes, " said Buller, "I have asked him things in lessons once or twice, and he made it all as clear as possible, but I didn't know he was goodfor anything else. This is a grand idea for learning to skate, though;look here, this is all right, is it not?"

"Yes, you have got it now; lean outwards a little more, and don't bendforward. The weight should be on the centre of the foot. "

There are few sensations more delightful than the first confident sweepon the outside edge, with the blade biting well into the clear smoothice, and Buller felt as if he could never have enough of it, and he kepton, trying to make larger and larger segments of a circle, not heedingthe falls he got for the next half-hour, when it was time to be gettingback, and he had reluctantly to take his skates off, and jog home at atrot. The next chance he had he was back to the ice and at it again. 

Others who had got as far as he had began practising threes, or tryingto skate backwards, but not so Buller. He must have that outside edgeperfectly, and make complete circles on it, without hesitation orwobbling, much less falling, before he attempted anything else. Progress did not seem slow to him, he was used to that in everything, and he was surprised at improving as quickly as he did. All he dreadedwas a heavy snow-fall, or a breaking up of the frost, and eithercalamity was to be expected from hour to hour. Before going to bed onthe night of the third day of the ice bearing, he drew the curtain andlooked out of window. The moon was nearly full, there was not a breathof wind stirring to shake the hoar-frost off the trees; all was hard, and bright, and clear. How splendid the pits would be now! Howglorious to have the whole sheet of ice to one's self! why, with such achance of solitary practice he might well expect to cut an eight, for hecould already complete entire circles on each foot. If it were not forthe bars to his window he would certainly go. The lane below had nobuilding to overlook it; none of the windows of that part of the housewhere Dr Jolliffe and his family, and the servants slept, commanded thelane. He would have no other house to pass on the way to the gravel-pits; really there would be no risk to speak of at all. The window wasbarely more than six feet, certainly not seven from the ground, and thebrick wall old and full of inequalities where the mortar had fallen out, and the toe might rest; with a yard of rope dangling from the sill, toget in again would be the easiest thing possible. The more he thoughtabout it the more simple the whole scheme seemed; if it were not for thebars. He examined them. The removal of one would be sufficient. 

"You beast!" said Buller, seizing and shaking it. It seemed to give alittle, and he shook it again: it certainly was not very tight, and heexamined it further. It fitted into the woodwork of the window-frame atthe top, and terminated at the bottom in a flat plate, perforated withthree holes, by which it was secured by nails to the sill. Nails? no, by Jove, screws! Only the paint had filled in the little creases at thetop of them, and it was simple enough to pick that off. His pocket-knife had a screw-driver at the top of it, he applied this and turnedit; the screw came up like a lamb. So did the second; so did the third. The bar was free at the bottom, and when he pulled it towards him itcame out in his hand! He replaced it, just to see if it would be allright. It was the simplest thing in the world, you could not tell thatit had been touched. So he took it out again, laid it aside carefully, and considered. 

He had no rope, but there was a leather belt, which he buckled round oneof the other bars, dropping the end outside. Perhaps that would giverather a slight grip, so he also got out a woollen scarf, such as issometimes called a "comforter, " which he possessed, and fastened that tothe bar also. With that there could be no difficulty in getting inagain. Should he give Penryhn or any other fellow a chance ofaccompanying him? Well, on the whole, no. It was impossible that itshould be discovered, but still, apparent impossibilities do happensometimes. Suppose one of the masters had a fancy for a moonlightskate! He did not mind risking his own skin, when the risk was soslight, but to get another fellow into a row was an awful idea. Besides, two would make more noise getting out and in than one, and theother might laugh, or call out, or play the fool in some way or another. And as for being alone in the expedition, Buller rather liked that thanotherwise. He was rather given to going his own way, and carrying outhis own ideas unhampered by other people's suggestions. 

So he quickly determined to keep his counsel and disturb no one. He hadblown his candle out before first trying the bar, and had been workingby the bright moonlight. Then he fastened his skates round his neck, sothat they should neither impede his movements, nor clatter, and put oneleg out of window, then the other, turned round, let himself down by thehands, and dropped into the lane. He looked up to see that the scarfwas hanging all right; it was within easy reach of both hands; he gaveit a pull to try it, and being satisfied, got over into the field, andstarted at a jog-trot for the gravel-pits. It was glorious; utterstillness--the clear sheet of ice flooded with the moonbeams, a romanticsense of solitude, and a touch of triumphant feeling in having got thebest of the world, and utilising such a magnificent time, while otherswere wasting it in bed. He put his skates on and began. Whether theexhilaration of stealing a march upon everybody, or the impossibility ofrunning up against anyone, or the confidence inspired by solitude, andthe absolute freedom from being laughed at if he fell, were the cause, he had never gone like this before. Striking out firmly from the start, he went round the sheet of ice in splendid curves, the outside edgecoming naturally to him now. A long sweep on the right foot, a longsweep on the left, round and round, with arms folded or clasped behindhim. Not a trip, not a stumble, not a momentary struggle to retain thebalance. It was splendid! Then at last he began with the circles whichhe was so anxious to perfect himself in. Round he went on his right, insmaller compass than he had ever accomplished one yet, with plenty ofimpetus to bring him round at the end. Then round on the left, quiteeasily, without an effort. Again with the right, and so on, a capitaleight. It was like magic, as if he had acquired the art in an instant. Or was he in bed and dreaming that he was skating? It really seemedlike it. If it were so, he did not care how long it was before he wasroused. But no, he was wide awake, and the phenomenon was simply theresult of confidence, following on good and persevering practice in theright direction. Breaking away from his eight, he swung round and roundthe pond again as fast as he could go. Then he tried a three; the firsthalf on the outside edge, forwards was easy enough, and he found nodifficulty in turning on the toe, but he could not complete the tail onthe inside edge backwards without staggering and wobbling. He had agood two hours of it, and then the moon disappeared behind a bank ofclouds and he prepared to go home. Skating in the dark would be poorfun, and besides it was very late, so he made for the bank, took hisskates off, and jogged back. 

Mr Rabbits, one of the masters, who was great at chemistry, and couldtell you to a grain how much poison you swallowed in that water forwhich the Gradus sarcastically gives _pura_ as a standing epithet, hadbeen asked by the vicar of Penredding, a village five miles off, to givea lecture in his school-room to the parishioners, one of a series ofsimple entertainments which were got up to cheer the long evenings inthe winter months. The vicar was an old college friend of Mr Rabbits, who gladly consented, and like a wise man chose the subject which he wasbest up in, writing a very amusing and instructive but very elementarypaper on Light, with plenty of illustrations and simple experiments, which kept his audience in a state of wonder and delight the wholeevening, and sent them home with plenty to think and talk aboutafterwards. It was necessary to have a very early and hurried dinner, the lecture beginning at seven, so Mr Rabbits went back to the vicarageafter it was over, to supper, after which there was a chat about the oldcollege boat and so forth, and it was rather late when he started forhome. He had refused the offer of a conveyance, considering that thefive miles walk on a bright still frosty night would be a luxury, and sohe found it, though for the latter part of his journey the moon wasobscured. It was not so dark, however, as to prevent his distinguishingobjects, and as he passed along the lane by which he entered Weston hewas sure he saw someone lurking under the wall at the back of DrJolliffe's house. Suspecting there was something wrong, he got into theshade under the hedge and crept noiselessly along, taking out of hispocket a piece of magnesium wire which he had made use of in hislecture, and a match-box. Presently he saw the figure raise itself fromthe ground towards a window, and immediately struck a match and ignitedthe wire, which he held over his head. The whole side of the house wasat once as bright as day, and a boy was distinctly seen getting in atthe window. 

"Buller!" exclaimed Mr Rabbits, "what are you doing there?"

"Please, sir, I am getting in, " said poor Buller. 

"So I perceive, " said Mr Rabbits; "but what right have you there?"

"It's my own room, please, sir. "

"Well, but what right then had you out of it at this time of night?"

"None at all, sir, I am afraid. "

"Then why did you do it?"

"I hoped not to be seen, sir. "

"Hum! What have you been doing?"

"Skating, sir. "

"I shall report you in the morning. "

Poor Tom Buller! How crest-fallen he felt as he conscientiouslyreplaced the bar, and screwed it down again. How heavy his heart was ashe took his clothes off and got into bed? What a fool he had been, hethought, and yet at the same time how awfully unlucky. Wrecked at themoment of entering the port! However, it was done now, and could not behelped; he must stand the racket. He supposed he should get off with aflogging. Surely they would not expel him for such a thing as that. Ofcourse they would make an awful row about his breaking out at night, buthe had not done any harm when he _was_ out. And the doctor was a good-natured chap, he certainly would let him off with a rowing and aflogging. He had never been flogged; did it hurt very much, hewondered? at all events it would soon be over. He had thought for amoment while skating that perhaps it was a dream; how jolly it would beif it could only prove a dream, and he could wake up in the morning andfind that the whole business was fancy. What a good job that he had nottold Penryhn, and got him into a row as well. What a nuisance that oldRabbits was to come by just at the wrong moment; five minutes earlier orfive minutes later it would have been all right. What thing was that helighted? What a tremendous flare it made, to be sure. Well, it was nouse bothering; happen what might he had a jolly good skate, and was firmon the outside edge for ever. Now the thaw might come if it liked, andTom, who was a bit of a philosopher, went to sleep. 

CHAPTER NINE. 

THE POACHERS. 

Buller was not the only Weston boy who broke out unlawfully that night. 

From Mr Cookson's house as from Dr Jolliffe's an adventurer stoleforth. But Saurin's object was not so innocent as Buller's, neither wasit so unpremeditated. For he nursed felonious designs against LordWoodruff's pheasants, and the project had been deliberately planned, and, as we know, the key which was to open the yard door cunninglymanufactured, a long time beforehand. 

Edwards, as a result of talking about the expedition, and his friend'sglowing anticipation of the fun of it, became quite anxious to join in. But Marriner did not think this advisable when Saurin put the matter tohim. They only had one air-gun, and two were quite enough for astealthy excursion of this kind. A third could take no part in theproceedings, and would only be an extra chance of attractingobservation. As a matter of fact, Marriner would rather have been quitealone, as his custom was on these predatory occasions, and it was onlyhis desire to make Saurin an accomplice, and so seal his mouth, whichinduced him to depart from his ordinary custom now. And to tell thetruth, when the time actually came, and Edwards saw his friend stealalong the yard, unlock and open the door at the further end, and closeit behind him, he was glad in his heart that he was not going too. Notbecause it was wrong: he had got his ideas so twisted that he thought itan heroic piece of business altogether, and admired Saurin for hislawless daring. But he felt conscious of not being cast in the heroicmould himself, and actually shuddered at the thought of gliding aboutthe woods at dead of night, thinking that someone was watching himbehind every tree, and might spring out upon him at any moment. Especially when he curled himself up in bed, and pulled the blanketssnugly round him, did he feel convinced that he was far more comfortablewhere he was than he would have been in Lord Woodruff's preserves. 

Saurin had no compunctions of this sort; _he_ did not flinch when thetime came; on the contrary, when he found himself out in the fields hefelt a keen thrill of enjoyment. There was just enough sense of dangerfor excitement, not enough for unpleasant nervousness. To be engaged inwhat was forbidden was always a source of delight to him, and here hewas braving the rules of his school and breaking the laws of his countryall at once: it was like champagne to him. Yet it was the very heightof absurdity to risk expulsion, imprisonment, perhaps penal servitudefor _nothing_, literally for _nothing_. 

He had no earthly use for the game when it was stolen, Marriner wouldhave it and sell it, but the question of Saurin's sharing in the profitshad not even been mooted. To do him justice he had not thought of sucha thing, the sport was all that tempted him. The field of theiroperations was not to be near Marriner's house, but in a part of theestates a good bit nearer Weston, and on the other side of it. Marrinerhad learned that there was to be a poaching expedition on a large scalethat night at the other extremity of the preserves, a good three milesoff. He knew the men and their method. They used ordinary guns, killedoff all they could in a short time, and got away before the keeperscould assemble in force, or if they were surprised they showed fight. He never joined in such bold attacks, but when he knew of them tookadvantage, as he proposed to do on the present occasion, of the keepersbeing drawn away, to do a little quiet business on his own account inanother direction. The place appointed for Saurin to meet Marriner wasa wood-stack reached by a path across the fields, two miles from Weston. Closing the yard door behind him, but not locking it, he started off ata sharp walk, keeping in the shade whenever he could, though all was sostill and noiseless that he seemed almost to be the only being in theworld, when he had once got quite out of the sight of houses. But no, anight-hawk swept by him, so close as to make him start, and a stoat methim in the middle of a trodden path across a ploughed field; showingthat there were other game depredators besides himself abroad. The wayseemed longer than it was in the daytime, but at last he got to thewood-stack, where he saw no one, but presently a figure stole round thecorner and joined him: Marriner with the air-gun and a sack. 

"It's all right, " he said, "I heard the guns nigh half-an-hour ago. There's never a watcher nor keeper within more nor a couple of milesoff, and we have a clear field to ourselves. "

Saurin took the gun, for it was an understood thing beforehand that hewas to have all the shooting, which indeed was but fair, and Marriner, carrying the sack, led the way to a coppice hard by, indeed the woodforming the stack had been cut out of it. He crept on hands and kneesthrough the hedge and glided into the brushwood, Saurin following, forsome little distance. Suddenly he stopped, laid his hand on hiscompanion's arm, and pointed upwards. Perched on the branch of a tree, and quite clear against the moonlit sky, was a round ball. 

"Pheasant?" asked Saurin. 

"Yes, " was the reply. "And there's another roosting there, and anotheryonder, and another--"

"I see them, " replied Saurin in the same whispered tones. And raisinghis air-gun he got the roosting bird in a line with the sights, whichwas as easy to do pretty nearly as in broad day, and pressed thetrigger. The black ball came tumbling down with a thump on the ground, and Marriner, pouncing upon it, put it in his sack. A second, a thirdwere bagged without stirring from the spot. A few steps farther onanother, who had been disturbed by the whip-cracks of the air-gun, hadwithdrawn his head from under his wing. But he did not take to flightat once, being comfortable where he was and the sounds not veryalarming, and while he hesitated he received a violent shock in themiddle of his breast, which knocked him off his perch powerless anddying. A little further on another, and then yet another were bagged:it was a well-stocked coppice, and had not been shot yet. Lord Woodruffwas reserving that part for some friends who were coming at Christmas, and with the prospects of whose sport I fear that Saurin somewhatinterfered that night. The sack indeed was pretty heavy by the timethey had gone through the wood, and then Marriner thought that it wouldbe more prudent to decamp, and they retraced their steps by a path whichtraversed the coppice. Once back at the wood-stack they were toseparate, so before they left the coppice Marriner put down his nowheavy sack, and Saurin handed him the air-gun, which he stowed away inhis capacious pocket. Then they went on, and just as they were on theedge of the wood came suddenly upon a man. 

"Hulloa! young gentleman, " exclaimed he to Saurin, who was leading, "what are you up to? What has the other got in that sack?"

Marriner slipped behind the trees. 

"I have got _you_, at any rate, " said the man, seizing Saurin by thecollar. 

The latter would not speak lest his voice should be recognisedafterwards, but he struggled all he knew. The man soon overpowered him;but Marriner came to the rescue. Throwing down the sack of pheasants, he had taken from his pocket an implement of whalebone with a heavy knobof lead at the end, and coming behind the man, both whose hands wereholding on to Saurin, he struck him with it on the head as hard as hecould. The keeper's grasp relaxed, he fell heavily to the ground, andSaurin was free. The man lay on his back with his head on the path, andthe moonbeams fell on his face. 

"Simon Bradley, " muttered Marriner. "To be sure he lives this way, andwas going home after the alarm on t'other side. "

Saurin was seized with a violent shivering from head to foot. 

"He isn't, I mean to say you have not--eh?" he said. 

"Dunno, and don't much care, curse him!" replied Marriner. "It would belaid to t'other chaps if he is. "

"But we ought to do something; get him some help, " urged Saurin, who hadnot become sufficiently hardened to like such devil's work as this. "Ifhe is living he will be frozen to death lying out such a night as this. "

"Oh, he will be all right!" said Marriner. "He's only stunned a bit. He will come to in ten minutes and get up and walk home. "

"But can't we leave word at his house, and then be off?"

"That would be a fool's trick, that would. Why, it would bringsuspicion on us, and if he is a gone coon--it's impossible, you know, almost--but _if_ he is, we should get scragged for it. Come, I didn'tthink you was so chicken-hearted, or I wouldn't have brought you out. Let's get away home at once while we can, and don't go a putting yourneck in a halter for nowt. "

Fear overcame compunction, and Saurin turned and fled. How he got homehe did not know, but he seemed to be at the back-door of the yardimmediately almost. Then he steadied himself, went in, locked the door, and stole up to his room and to bed. _He_ did not sleep that night. The face of the gamekeeper lying there in the moonlight haunted him. Hewished, like Buller, but oh, much more fervently, that the wholebusiness might turn out to have been a nightmare. But the morningdawned cold and grey, and he got up and dressed himself and went in toschool, and it was all real. He could not fix his attention; his mindwould wander to that coppice. Had the gamekeeper come to, tried tostruggle up, fainted, fallen back, perished for want of a littleassistance? Or had he got up, not much the worse, and had he seen hisface clearly, and, recognising that it was a Weston boy, would he cometo the school and ask to go round and pick him out?

"Saurin!"

It was only the voice of the master calling on him to go on with theconstruing, but he had so entirely forgotten where he was that hestarted and dropped his book, which caused a titter, for Saurin was nothabitually either of a meditative or a nervous turn. He felt that hereally must pull himself together or he would excite suspicion. 

"I beg your pardon, sir, " he said; "my hands are numb, and I dropped thebook. Where's the place?" he added _sotto voce_ to his neighbour. 

"I think your attention was numb, " said the master. 

Saurin had the chorus in the play of Euripides, which was undergoingmutilation at his fingers' ends, so he went on translating till heheard, "That will do. Maxwell!" and then he relapsed into his privatemeditations. After all, he had not struck the blow, Marriner's tryingto drag him into a share of the responsibility was all nonsense. Theymight say he ought to have given the alarm, or gone for a doctor, butnothing more. And yet he fancied he had heard somewhere that to be oneof a party engaged in an unlawful act which resulted in anyone beingkilled was complicity or something, which included all in the crime. One thing was clear, he must keep his counsel, and not let Edwards oranyone know anything about it, because they might be questioned; and hemust guard against showing that he was at all anxious. And why shouldhe be? A man did not die for one knock on the head; he was probably allright again. And he could not have seen his face so as to recognisehim; it was quite in the shade where they had been struggling. It wasall nonsense his worrying himself; and yet he could not help listening, expecting a messenger to come with some alarming intelligence, he couldnot define what. After school Edwards came up to him and drew him asideconfidentially, full of eagerness and curiosity. 

"Well, " he said, "was it good fun? How did it all go off?"

"It was a regular sell, " replied Saurin, smothering his impatience atbeing questioned, and forcing himself to take the tone he was accustomedto assume towards his chum in confidential communications. 

"How! did you not meet Marriner?"

"Oh, yes! I met him all right; but it was no good. There were otherpoachers out last night, and we heard their guns, so of course we couldnot attempt anything, because the gamekeepers would all have been on thelook-out. You were well out of it, not coming, for it was precious coldwork waiting about, and no fun after all. "

"What a bore! But you will have better luck next time, perhaps. "

"I hope so, if I go; but the fact is, I have lost confidence in Marrinerrather. He ought to have found out that those other fellows were goingout last night, don't you see? At least he always brags that he knowstheir movements. And it will be some time before the moon serves again;and then the Christmas holidays will be coming on; and by next term thepheasants will all have been shot off. The chance has been missed. "

"Well, at all events, you have got all right and not been discovered. Do you know, when one comes to think about it, it was an awful risk, "said Edwards. 

"Of course it was, " replied Saurin; "that made all the fun of it. Rather idiotic, though, too, since one hopes to preserve game one's selfsome day. It would be a better lark to go out to catch poachers than togo out poaching. "

"A great deal, I should say. Not but what that is risky work too. Those fellows do not flinch from murder when they are interrupted. "

"What makes you say that?" cried Saurin quickly, turning and catchinghim sharply by the arm. 

"I don't know!" replied Edwards, astonished at the effect of his words. "I have read about fights between gamekeepers and poachers in books, andheard of them, and that; haven't you? How queer you look! Is thereanything the matter?"

"Not a bit of it, " said Saurin, regretting his imprudence; "only, I wasfrozen hanging about last night, and when I got back I could not sleepfor cold feet, so I am a bit tired. And I think I have caught cold too. And you know, " he added, laughing, "having enlisted in the ranks of thepoachers last night, at least in intention, I feel bound to resist anyattacks on their humanity. 

"But, as a matter of fact, I believe that they do show fight for theirspoil and their liberty when they find themselves surprised. Shots areexchanged and mischief happens sometimes. But my poor little air-gunwould not be a very formidable weapon in a row, I expect. Itspeppercorn bullets are good for a rabbit or pheasant, but would hardlydisable a man. The gamekeeper with his double-barrel would have a gooddeal the best of it. But, I say, my cold has not taken away myappetite. Let us get in to breakfast, and hang poaching. "

CHAPTER TEN. 

THE FATES ARE DOWN UPON BULLER. 

Tom Buller had finished his breakfast, and was ruefully preparing hislesson in his room, when he heard his name being called up thestaircase. "Buller! I say, Buller!"

"Well, what's the row?" he asked, opening his door with a sinking heart. The voice of the caller sounded singularly harsh and discordant, hethought. 

"Oh, Buller! the doctor wants to see you in his study. "

"All right!" replied Buller; "I will come at once. "

But though his mouth said "All right, " his mind meant "All wrong. " Hehad entertained the absurd hope, though he hardly admitted the fact tohimself, that Mr Rabbits, with whom he was rather a favourite, wouldnot report him, forgetting, or not realising, the great responsibilitywhich Mr Rabbits would incur by failing to do so. Well, he would knowthe worst soon now at any rate, that was one consolation, for there isnothing so bad as suspense, as the man said who was going to be hanged. 

Dr Jolliffe's study was in a retired part of the house, not oftenvisited by the boys. Here the uproar of their voices, and their noisytread as they rushed up and down the uncarpeted staircases, could not beheard. Here thick curtains hung before the doors, which were of somebeautifully grained wood (or painted to look like it), and gilded roundthe panels. Thick carpets lined the passages, rich paper covered thewalls; all the surroundings were in violent contrast to the outer housegiven up to the pupils, and gained an exaggerated appearance of luxuryin consequence. 

Buller, with his heart somewhere about his boots, tapped at the awfuldoor. 

"Come in!" was uttered in the dreamy tones of one whose mind wasabsorbed in some occupation, and who answered instinctively, withoutdisturbance of his thoughts. 

Buller entered and closed the door behind him. 

The doctor, who was writing, and referring every now and then to certainlong slips of printed paper which were lying on the table at his side, did not speak or look up, but merely raised his hand to intimate that hemust not be disturbed for a moment. So Buller looked round the room;and noted things as one does so vividly whenever one is in a funk in astrange place; in a dentist's waiting-room, say. The apartment waswonderfully comfortable. The book-cases which surrounded it werehandsome, solid, with nice little fringes of stamped leather to everyshelf. The books were neatly arranged, and splendidly bound, many ofthem in Russia leather, as the odour of the room testified. Between thebook-cases, the wall-paper was dark crimson, and there were a few reallygood oil-paintings. The fireplace was of white marble, handsomelycarved, with Bacchantes, and Silenus on his donkey--not very appropriateguardians of a sea-coal fire. On the mantel-piece was a massive bronzeclock, with a figure of Prometheus chained to a rock on the top, and thevulture digging into his ribs. And Buller, as he noticed this, remembered, with the clearness afforded by funk spoken of above, that anuncle of his, who was an ardent homeopathist, had an explanation of hisown of the old Promethean myth. He maintained that Prometheus typifiedthe universal allopathic patient, and that the vulture for ever gnawinghis liver was Calomel. The clock was flanked on each side by agrotesque figure, also in bronze. Two medieval bullies had drawn theirswords, and were preparing for a duel, which it was apparent thatneither half liked. A very beautiful marble group, half life-size, stood in one corner, and gave an air of brightness to the whole room. And on a bracket, under a glass case, there was a common pewter quartpot, which the doctor would not have exchanged for a vase of gold. Forit was a trophy of his prowess on the river in old college days, andbore the names of good friends, now dead, side by side with his own. The table at which the doctor sat was large, with drawers on each sidefor papers, and a space in the middle for his legs, and was covered withdocuments collected under paper-weights. It took Tom Buller just twominutes to note all these objects, and then the doctor looked up with anexpression of vacancy which vanished when he saw who stood before him. He tossed his quill-pen down, took off his spectacles, and said:

"Well, Buller, what have you got to say for yourself?"

Tom hung his head, fiddled with a button of his jacket, and murmuredsomething to the effect that he did not know. 

"It is a very serious offence of yours that has been reported to me, nothing less than breaking out of the house, out of _my_ house, in thedead of night. A most enormous and unparalleled proceeding. Why, inthe whole course of my experience I never knew of a boy having theaudacity--at least it is extremely rare, " said the doctor, somewhatabruptly breaking the thread of his sentence. For he suddenlyremembered, conscientious man, that when an Eton boy himself he hadcommitted a similar offence for the purpose of visiting the Windsortheatre. "Suppose that in consequence of your example the customspread, and the boys of Weston took to escaping from their rooms atnight and careering about the country like--" He was going to say likerabbits, but the name of the master who had detected the offenderoccurred to him, and dreading the suspicion of making a joke he changedit to--"jackals, howling jackals. " "Have you been in the habit of theseevasions?"

"Oh, no, sir!" cried Tom, encouraged by something in the doctor's tonesto speak out. "I never thought of such a thing till last night, just asI was going to bed. But the moon was so bright, and the bar was soloose, and the ice bears such a short time, and I take so much longerthan others to learn anything, and I was so anxious to get perfect onthe outside edge, that I gave way to the temptation. It was very wrong, and I am very sorry, and will take care nothing of the sort ever happensagain. "

"So will I, " said the doctor drily. "These bars shall be looked to. And who went with you?"

"No one, sir, no one else knew of it. I just took my skates and went. I did not see how wrong it was, sir, then, as I do now. I am slow, sir, and can only think of one thing at a time. "

"And the outside edge engrossed all your faculties, I suppose. "

"Yes, sir. "

Dr Jolliffe would have given something to let him off, but felt that hecould not; to do so would be such a severe blow to discipline. So heset his features into the sternest expression he could assume, and said, "Come into my class-room after eleven-o'clock school. "

"Yes, sir, " replied Buller, retiring with a feeling of relief; he was toget off with a flogging after all, and he did not imagine thatcastigation at the hands of the doctor would be particularly severe. For the head-master's class-room contained a cupboard, rarely opened, and in that cupboard there were rods, never used at Weston foreducational purposes. For if a boy did not prepare his lessons properlyit was assumed that they were too difficult for him, and he was sentdown into a lower form. If he still failed to meet the schoolrequirements, his parents were requested to remove him, and he left, without a stain on his character, as the magistrates say, but he waswritten down an ass. Such a termination to the Weston career wasdreaded infinitely more than any amount of corporal punishment orimpositions, and the prospect of being degraded from his class causedthe idlest boy to set to work, so that such disgraces were not common. The birch, then, was had recourse to simply for the maintenance ofdiscipline, all forms of imprisonment being considered injurious to thehealth. And an invitation to the doctor's class-room after school meanta short period, quite long enough, however, of acute physical sensation, which was not of a pleasurable character. 

But everything is comparative in this world, and Tom Buller, who hadfeared that expulsion might be the penalty exacted for his offence, orat any rate that his friends at home would be written to, and a greatfuss made, was quite in high spirits at the thought of getting thebusiness over so quickly and easily. He found a group of friendswaiting for him to come out of the doctor's study, curious to know whathe had been wanted for, Tom not being the sort of fellow, they thought, to get into a serious scrape; and when he told them that he had got outof his window the night before to go skating, that Mr Rabbits hadcaught him as he was getting in again by lighting up some chemical dodgewhich illuminated the whole place, and that he was to be flogged aftereleven-o'clock school, they were filled with admiration andastonishment. What a brilliant idea! What courage and coolness in theexecution! What awfully bad luck that old Rabbits had come by just atthe wrong moment! They took his impending punishment even morecheerfully than he did himself, as our friends generally do, andpromised to go in a body and see the operation. One, indeed, Simmonds, lamented over his sad fate, and sang by way of a dirge--

 "`Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling, The darling of our crew, '"

in a fine tenor voice for which he was celebrated. And this being takenas an allusion to the branch of cricket, in which Buller had learned tobecome a proficient, was considered a joke, and from that time forth theobject of it was known as Tom Bowling. 

Eleven o'clock came, and they all went into school, and Buller did hisbest, to fix his attention on what he was about, instead of thinking ofwhat was coming afterwards. Dr Jolliffe's class was select, consistingof a dozen of the most proficient scholars, Crawley and Smith being theonly two of those mentioned in this story who belonged to it. He hadhardly taken his chair ten minutes before a servant came in with a cardand a note, stating that a gentleman was waiting outside, and that hisbusiness was very pressing. The doctor glanced at the card, which wasLord Woodruff's, and then tore open the note, which ran thus:

 "Dear Dr Jolliffe, can I speak to you a moment. I would not, you may be sure, disturb you during school hours if there were not urgent reason for the interruption. "

"Where is Lord Woodruff?" he asked, rising from his seat. 

"Waiting in the cloister at the foot of the stair, sir. "

And there indeed he found him, an excitable little man, walking up anddown in a fume. 

"Dr Jolliffe, " he cried, directly he saw him, "were any of your boysout last night? Tut, tut, how should you know! Look here. There werepoachers in my woods last night, and the keepers, hearing the firing, ofcourse went to stop, and if possible arrest them. The rascals decamped, however, before they could reach the place, and the keepers dispersed togo to their several homes. One of them, Simon Bradley, had somedistance to walk, his cottage being two miles and more from the place. As he passed through a coppice on his way he came upon a boy and afigure following with a sack, whether man or boy he could not say, as itwas in deep shadow. He collared the boy, who was big and strong, andwhile he was struggling with him he was struck from behind with a life-preserver or some such instrument, which felled him to the ground, bleeding and senseless. After some time he came to, and managed tocrawl home, and his wife sent off to tell me, and I despatched a man onhorseback to fetch a surgeon. And Bradley is doing pretty well; thereis no immediate fear for his life. Of course he has recovered his wits, or I could not give you these details, and he is certain that the fellowhe was struggling with was a Weston boy. "

"Well, you see, Lord Woodruff, " said the doctor, "unless the poor fellowknew the boy, he could hardly be sure upon that point, could he?"

"Pretty nearly, I think, Dr Jolliffe. Your boys wear a distinctive capof dark flannel?"

"Yes; but when they get shabby they are thrown aside, and many of thevillage youths round about get hold of them and wear them. "

"Aye, " said Lord Woodruff, "but Bradley is confident that this was ayoung gentleman; he wore a round jacket, with a white collar, and stiffwhite cuffs with studs in them, for he felt them when he tried to grasphis wrists. No young rustic would be dressed in that fashion, and, taken together with the cap, I fear that it must have been one of yourboys. "

"It looks suspicious, certainly, " said the doctor, somewhat perplexed. 

"I am very sorry indeed to give you trouble, and to risk bringing anydiscredit on the school, " said Lord Woodruff. "But you see one of mymen has been seriously injured, and that in my service, and if we couldfind this boy, his evidence would enable us to trace the cowardlyruffian who struck the blow. "

"Then you would want to--to prosecute him, in short. "

"In confidence, doctor, I should be glad not to do so if I could helpit, and if he would give his evidence freely it might be avoided. Butit may be necessary to frighten him, if we can find him, that is. And, doctor, allow me to say that if this were merely a boyish escapade, araid upon my pheasants, I should be content to leave the matter in yourhands, considering that a sound flogging would meet the case. But myman being dangerously hurt alters the whole business. I owe it to him, and to all others in my employ, not to leave a stone unturned todiscover the perpetrator of the outrage, and I call upon you, DrJolliffe, to assist me. "

The doctor bowed. "Can your lordship suggest anything you would likedone towards the elucidation of this mystery?" he said. "In spite ofthe jacket and cuffs, I find it difficult to suppose that any Weston boyis in league with poachers. But you may rely on my doing all in mypower to aid you in any investigation you may think desirable. "

"I expected as much, and thank you, " replied Lord Woodruff. "Itoccurred to me, then, that it might be well, as a preliminary measure, to collect the boys together in one room and lay the case before them, promising impunity to the offender, if present, on condition of histurning queen's evidence. "

"It shall be done at once, " said the doctor. "Will you speak to them, or shall I?"

"It does not much matter, " replied Lord Woodruff. "Perhaps the pledgewould come better from me, the natural prosecutor. "

"Very good. "

The doctor returned to his class-room, not too soon. One of the youngscamps had taken his chair, and was delivering a burlesque lecture, nearenough to the head-master's style to excite irreverent laughter. Theylistened for his step upon the stair, however, and when he entered theroom they might have been taken for a synod discussing a Revised Editionby the extreme gravity of their demeanour. 

"We must interrupt our studies for a short time, I am sorry to say, "observed Dr Jolliffe. "I wish you to assemble at once, but withoutnoise, in the schools. And, Probyn, run round to the other class-rooms, and tell the masters, with my compliments, that I wish their classesalso to go there at once, and arrange themselves in their proper places, as on Examination Days. "

The "Schools" was a large room which held all Weston; but the collegewas liberal in the matter of accommodation, and only three classes werehabitually held in it, that so the hubbub of voices might not beinconvenient. For some persons are so constituted that when you seek toinstruct them in Greek, they take an intense interest in mathematics, iftreated upon within their hearing, and _vice versa_. But every classhad its appointed place in the schools, all the same, and in a fewminutes after the summons had gone forth, the boys, not quite broken-hearted at having to shut up their books, were reassembled in the largeroom, wondering what on earth had happened to cause such an unparalleledinfraction of the daily routine. One sanguine youth suggested that theywere to have an extra half-holiday in consequence of the fine conditionof the ice, and he had many converts to his opinion; but there were manyother theories. Saurin alone formed a correct guess at the real matterin hand, conscience prompting him. 

No sooner were all settled in their places than the head-master came inaccompanied by Lord Woodruff, who was known to most present by sight, and curiosity became almost painful. 

"It is he who has begged us the half-holiday, " whispered the prophet ofgood to his neighbour. "Shall we give him a cheer?"

"Better wait to make certain first, " replied his more prudent auditor. 

Next the roll was called, and when all had answered to their names DrJolliffe announced that their visitor had something serious to say tothem; and then Lord Woodruff got up. 

"No doubt some of your fathers are preservers of game for sportingpurposes, " he said, "and you all know what it means. I preserve game inthis neighbourhood; and last night one of my keepers was going homethrough a wood where there are a good many pheasants, for it has notbeen disturbed this year, when he met two persons. They may not havebeen poachers, but poaching was certainly going on last night, for theguns were heard, and the man naturally concluded that they weretrespassing in pursuit of game, for why else should they be there atthat hour of the night. And so, as was clearly his duty, he endeavouredto secure one of them. But just as he had succeeded in doing so, he wasstruck down from behind with some weapon which has inflicted seriousinjuries upon him. He has recovered his senses, and laid an informationthat the person he seized was a Weston boy. "

There was a murmur and a movement throughout the assembly at thissensational announcement. Saurin, who felt that he was very pale, muttered, "Absurd!" and strove to assume a look of incredulousamusement. 

"Now, boys, listen to me. I take a great interest in Weston College, and should be sorry to see any disgrace brought upon it. And indeed itwould be very painful to me that any one of you should have his futureprospects blighted on first entering into life, for what I am willing tolook upon as a thoughtless freak. But when the matter is once put intothe hands of the police I shall have no further power to shield anyone, and if they trace the boy who was in that wood last night, which, mindyou, they will probably do, safe as he may think himself, he will haveto stand his trial in a court of justice. But now, I will give him afair chance. If he will stand forward and confess that he was presenton the occasion I allude to, and will say who the ruffian was thatstruck the blow, for of complicity in such an act I do not for a momentsuspect him, I promise that he shall not be himself proceeded against inany way. "

There was a pause of a full minute, during which there was dead silence;no one moved. 

"What!" continued Lord Woodruff; "were you all in your beds at eleveno'clock last night? Was there no one out of college unbeknown to theauthorities?"

He looked slowly round as he spoke, and it seemed to Buller that hiseyes rested upon him. Though he knew nothing of this poaching business, he was certainly out, and perhaps Dr Jolliffe had told Lord Woodruffso, and this was a trap to see if he would own to it, and if he did not, they might suspect him of the other thing. He half rose, and sat downagain, hesitating. 

"Ah!" said Lord Woodruff, catching sight of the movement; "what is it, my lad? speak up, don't be afraid. "

"I was certainly out of the college last night, " said Buller, getting onto his feet, "but I was not near any wood, and I did not meet any man, or see or hear any struggling or fighting. "

"It has nothing to do with this case, my lord, " interposed the doctor. "This boy went late to the gravel-pits to skate, and was seen by one ofthe masters. It was a breach of the regulations, for which he will bepunished, but nothing more serious. "

"Oh! if he was seen skating by one of the masters that is enough. MightI speak to the gentleman?"

"Certainly. "

And Mr Rabbits was called forward and introduced. 

"Oh! Mr Rabbits, you actually saw this boy skating last night, didyou?"

"No, not exactly. He was getting in again at his window when Isurprised him?"

"May I ask at what time?"

"About half-past twelve. "

"And how, if you did not see him, do you know that he was out skating?"

"He said so, " replied Mr Rabbits innocently. 

"And his word is the only evidence you have that he was not elsewhere?"

Mr Rabbits was obliged to confess that it was. 

"Buller! come here, " cried the doctor. "Now, did anyone see you at thegravel-pits, or going there, or coming back?"

"No, sir. "

"Think well, because you may be suspected of having gone in an exactlyopposite direction. If any friend was with you I am certain that hewould be glad to give himself up to get you out of a really seriousscrape. Shall I put it to the boys, my lord?"

"It is of no use, sir, " said Buller. "I was quite alone, just as I toldyou, and no one knew I was out. I did not think of it myself till a fewminutes before, when I found the bar loose. And I did not open my dooreven. And I saw no one, going or returning, till Mr Rabbits lit hischemical as I was getting in at the window. "

"It is very painful to--ah--to seem to doubt your word, in short, " saidLord Woodruff with hesitation, for he was a gentleman, and Tom's mannerstruck him as remarkably open and straightforward. "But you know it isimpossible to accept anyone's unsupported evidence in his own favour, and I really wish that you could produce some one to corroborate yourrather unlikely story. Assuming for a moment that you were in thecompany of poachers for a bit of fun last night, and that you sawsomething of this affray, and being caught as you got home, werefrightened into accounting for your being out at so late an hour by thisstory of going skating in the moonlight; I say, assuming all this, Iappeal to you to save yourself from serious consequences, and to forwardthe ends of justice by telling anything you know which may put us on thetraces of the fellow who has injured my poor gamekeeper. A fellow whowould come behind and strike a cowardly blow like that, trying to murderor maim a man who was simply doing his duty, does not deserve that youshould shield him. Come, will you not denounce him?"

"But how can I tell about things of which I have no knowledge whatever?"cried Buller, who was getting vexed as well as bewildered. "What I havesaid is the exact truth, and if it does not suit you I cannot help it. Believe me or not, as you like, there is no good in my going onrepeating my words. "

"I cannot accept the responsibility of taking your bare word in such amatter, " said Lord Woodruff, more stiffly, for Tom's tone had offendedhim; "a magistrate may do so. Of course I shall not adjudicate in myown case, " he added, turning to Dr Jolliffe. "Mr Elliot is the nextnearest magistrate, and I shall apply for a warrant against this youthto him. "

Tom Buller experienced a rather sudden change of sensation in a shortperiod. A quarter of an hour ago he felt like a culprit, now his heartswelled with the indignation of a hero and a martyr. To be accused ofpoaching, and asked to betray a supposed accomplice in what might provea murder, just because he happened to be out after ten one night, wasrather too strong, and Tom's back was up. 

"You had better go to your room, Buller, and wait there till you hearfurther, " said Dr Jolliffe, not unkindly. 

To tell the truth the doctor was a good deal ruffled by this accusation, brought, as it seemed to him, on very insufficient grounds, against somemember of the school. But he was determined to be as cool and quietabout it as possible, and not to give any one a chance of saying that hehad obstructed the ends of justice. For if he took the highly indignantline, and it were proved after all that one of his boys was involved inthe scrape, how foolish he would look!

"And you really mean to have this boy up before Mr Elliot on a chargeof poaching?" he asked. 

"What else can I do?" said Lord Woodruff. "His own obstinacy inrefusing to tell what he knows is to blame. "

"But supposing that he really knows nothing, how can he tell it? I knowthe boy well, and he is remarkably truthful and straightforward. Intensely interested, too, in the studies and sports of his school, andthe very last to seek low company or get into a scrape of this kind. "

Lord Woodruff smiled and shook his head. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. 

Have you ever stood near a bee-hive when something unusual was going oninside? When a swarm was meditated, or you had cut off thecommunication with a super which you meant to take? Just such a buzzand murmur as then arises might have been heard in Weston court-yardwhen the boys poured out from the schools, only increased so much involume as the human vocal organs are more powerful than the apiarian. And surely not without cause, for the scene which had just been enacted, without any rehearsal, for their benefit was simply astounding. 

"Fancy Tom Buller the chief of a gang of poachers!" cried Saurin. "ByJove, I did not think it was in him, and fairly confess that I have notdone him justice. He is a dark horse and no mistake. "

"Why, you don't for a moment suppose that there is anything in it, doyou?" asked Robarts, who heard him. 

"I don't know, I'm sure, " replied Saurin; "perhaps not. Awful liarsthose keeper chaps, no doubt. We shall know all about it in time, Isuppose. "

"It would not be bad fun if one got a fair price for the game one took, "said Griffiths. "But the risk and difficulty of selling it would be sogreat that one would be certain to be robbed. "

"What an ass Tom Bowling was to give himself up; it would have been allright if he had sat still. "

"I don't know that. He had already been caught breaking out of college, don't you see, and they would have been certain to put this and thattogether. "

"Who would?"

"Old Jolliffe. "

"Not a bit of it. I twigged his face when Buller stood up, and helooked as vexed as possible. _He'd_ never have told. "

"I am not sure of that, and I think Buller was right not to risk it. "

"Fussy old chap, Lord Woodruff!"

"Not a bad sort altogether, I believe, if you rub him the right way. "

"No more am I; give me everything I want, and never thwart me, and I amthe easiest fellow to live with in the world. "

That is a sample of the way the matter was discussed and commented upon. But the most astonished of the whole school, and the only one who couldnot trust himself to make any remark at all in public, was Edwards. Forthe second time that day he had to watch his opportunity for a privateconference with Saurin, and when he found it he opened on him eagerly. 

"What a chap you are! And so you had a regular fight with keepers, andnearly did for one; and all you said this morning was that the wholething was a failure and a sell. And even when we talked aboutgamekeepers catching poachers, and the poachers resisting, you kept itall dark. "

"Why, it was a serious thing to talk about, you see, " said Saurin. 

"Well, I think you might have trusted me at all events, " replied Edwardssomewhat reproachfully. 

"Trust you! My dear fellow I would trust you with my life, " saidSaurin. "But I thought it better to keep Marriner's attack on thiskeeper secret for your sake. There was sure to be a row, and in case ofthe inquiry coming in this direction, and your being questioned, itwould be so much jollier for you to be able to say that you knew nothingabout it. Whereas, if I had entered into all the details, it would havebothered you. For, to tell the truth, I feared the man was killed; nowhe is not hurt much, I don't care. "

"They would not have got anything out of me, " said Edwards. 

"Perhaps not, " replied Saurin. "But those lawyers are awful fellowswhen they get you into the witness-box, and make you say pretty nearlywhat they like. I had much rather have nothing to tell them myself if Iwere to be put in such a position, and I thought you would feel thesame. "

"You are right, so I do, " said Edwards. "What a fellow you are, Saurin, you think of everything!"

"It is different, now that they have got hold of that ass, Buller; whata joke it all is, isn't it?"

"Yes, " replied Edwards, in a tone of hesitation, however, as if he didnot quite see the humour of it. "Rather rough upon Buller, though, don't you think?"

"Not a bit of it; he has got off his flogging. "

"But suppose he comes in for something worse?"

"How should he? They cannot prove that he was in the coppice when hewas about three miles in the opposite direction, you know. Now, if Iwere once suspected, they would find out that I constantly went toSlam's, who finds agents to sell the game for all the poachers round, and some of the keepers too, if the truth were known, and that I hadbeen seen in Marriner's company; who is considered to make a regularincome out of Lord Woodruff's pheasants, and they would have somegrounds to go upon. But Buller is all right. "

But though he spoke like this to quiet Edwards, Saurin did not carewhether Buller got into serious trouble or not. He was a friend ofCrawley's, had seconded him in the fight, and given him advice whichcontributed as much as anything else to Saurin's defeat. If he wereexpelled and sent to prison it would not break his (Saurin's) heart. The only fear was that if Edwards blabbed--and he was so weak that hecould not be absolutely trusted--fellows would think it horribly mean tolet Buller be punished unjustly, for what he himself had done. And onthis account, and this account only, he hoped that Buller would get off. 

Mr Elliot, the magistrate, lived at Penredding, the village where MrRabbits had gone to lecture, and thither Tom Buller was driven in aclose fly, the doctor accompanying him. Lord Woodruff, who had come toWeston on horseback, rode over separately. Mr Elliot was a man of goodcommon sense, though his opinions were not quite so weighty as hisperson, which declined to rise in one scale when fifteen stone was inthe other. He was a just man also, though perhaps he was less dilatoryin attending to the wishes of a member of one of the great countyfamilies than he might be in the case of a mere nobody. If a rich manand a poor one had a dispute, he considered that the presumption was infavour of the former, but he did not allow this prejudice to influencehim one iota in the teeth of direct evidence. 

Just after the fly had left Weston some snow flakes began to fall. "Ah!" thought Tom, "it may snow as hard as it pleases now. I have had agood turn at any rate. I was not able to do the outside edge when thefrost set in, and now I can cut an eight. I wish, though, I could keepmy balance in the second curl of those threes. I must practise goingbackwards, and stick to that next time I have a chance. "

Dr Jolliffe, who saw that he was absorbed in reflection, thought thathe was dwelling upon the serious nature of the position, in which hefound himself, and would have been amused if he could have read the realsubject of his meditations. But he could not do that, so he read theproof-sheets of his new treatise on the digamma. The snow fell thicker, and by the time they reached Penredding the country was covered with awhite sheet. 

Mr Elliot, who had been warned of their coming, was ready to receivethem, and Lord Woodruff came forward with an inspector of rural police, and told his story, which was written down by a clerk and read over. Then the whole party set out on their travels again and drove to thecottage of the wounded gamekeeper, where they were received by a youngwoman, who had been crying her eyes red, and to the folds of whose dresstwo little children clung, hiding their faces therein, but stealing shyglances now and then at the quality, and the awful representative of thelaw, who had come to visit them. 

"The doctor has told us that it would do your husband no harm to saybefore me what he has already told Lord Woodruff, " said Mr Elliot toher. "I was rejoiced to hear that he is doing so well. It was a mostshameful, brutal, and cowardly attack, and we are most anxious that theoffender should be brought to justice. "

"Yes, sir, " said the woman. "Doctor thinks it may quiet him like tohave his dispositions took, and then he may go to sleep. "

"Exactly. Will you be so kind as to tell him that we are here?"

She pushed the children into an inner room, ran up-stairs, and presentlyreappeared, asking them to walk up. Bradley was in bed, propped withpillows. A handkerchief was tied round his head, and his face was palefrom loss of blood. Either from that cause, or on account of the shockto the nervous system, he was also very weak. 

"How do you feel now, Bradley?" asked Lord Woodruff gently, going to thebed-head. 

"Rayther queer as yet, my lord, " was the reply. 

"No doubt. But you have a good hard head, and there is nothing seriousthe matter, the doctor says. But it may be some days before it will beprudent for you to go out, so, as we want to get on the traces of thefellow who struck you at once, Mr Elliot has kindly come over to takeyour deposition here, instead of waiting till you were fit to go toPenredding. "

When Tom Buller saw the woman and children, and then afterwards theirstrong bread-earner reduced to such a condition, he indeed felt heartilyglad that there was no truth in the accusation against him. To have hadany part in bringing about such a scene of family distress would havebeen too much for him. 

The wounded man told his story clearly enough, and then Tom Buller wastold to stand in the light where he could see him clearly. 

"Noa, " said the wounded man, "I could not say who it wor. There was abright moon, but the boy was in the shadow, and I got no clear look athis face; but he wor one of the Weston young gentlemen, I am sartin ofthat. A bit bigger than him, I should say, but I couldn't say for sure. He wor a strong un, I know that. "

When all this was written down, back they went to Penredding again, slower now, for the snow was getting deep, and assembled once more inMr Elliot's study, where Buller was warned against criminating himself, and then allowed to speak. He had been out that night, but in acontrary direction, skating; no one had seen him, and he had nowitnesses. 

"There is hardly any case, " said Mr Elliot. "The boy owns that he wasout the night of the assault, and the gamekeeper swears he wasstruggling with a boy, whom he thinks was rather bigger. But there areno marks of any struggle having taken place upon the lad. There may bereason for suspicion, but nothing more. "

"Exactly; and I do not ask for a committal, but only for a remand, togive the police an opportunity of collecting further evidence, " saidLord Woodruff. 

"And I do not oppose the remand, " said Dr Jolliffe. "I am perfectlyconvinced of the boy's complete innocence; but in his interest I shouldlike the matter to be gone into further, now the accusation has oncebeen made. "

"Very good; this day week, then. And I will take your bail for hisappearance, Dr Jolliffe. "

And it being so arranged, everybody went home through the snow; and thepolice took up a wrong scent altogether, that, namely, of the gang thathad been taking game in another part of the preserves earlier in thenight, and to which it was somewhat naturally supposed the other twobelonged. And one of them was traced, and a reward, together withimpunity, was offered to him if he would turn queen's evidence, and saywho had struck down the keeper. But the man, of course, could tellnothing about it. 

As for Tom Buller, he went back to his lessons as usual, and was a hero. It was something novel to have a fellow out of prison on bail atWeston, and the boys racked their brains for some evidence in hisfavour. His flogging was put off _sine die_, for the doctor felt itunjust to deal with his case scholastically while the question of hispunishment by the laws of the country was still pending. The only boywho thought of anything practical was Smith, "Old Algebra, " as theycalled him. He went up privately to Mr Rabbits one day and said, "Ibeg your pardon, sir, but might I speak to you for a moment?"

"Certainly, Smith, " said Mr Rabbits; "what is it?"

"When you saw Buller getting in at the window by the light of yourmagnesium wire, did you notice his skates?"

"Bless me!" cried Mr Rabbits; "now you mention it, I think--nay, I amsure I did. They were hanging round his neck. To be sure; why, thattends to corroborate his assertion that he went skating. "

"Will it not be enough to clear him, sir?"

"Well, not quite, I fear. You see, they may say that he might havestarted to go skating, and met with this poacher, and gone off with himout of curiosity. But still it is worth something, and I shall make apoint of appearing before the magistrate and giving evidence on thepoint. It was a very good idea of yours--very. "

When the snow ceased, the boys took brooms with them to the gravel-pitsand cleared a space, which grew larger every time they went to skate onit, some of the hangers-on of the school helping forward the work, forwhat coppers and sixpences they could pick up. But they were lazy, loafing dogs, and the boys did most of it for themselves. Buller didnot go to the ice any more, however; though not expressly forbidden, hethought the doctor would not like it; it would look as if he did nottake his position seriously enough. It was for the sake of skating thathe had broken out at night and got into this scrape, and so now he woulddeny himself. 

The week passed, and Buller again went over with Dr Jolliffe to MrElliot's house at Penredding, Mr Rabbits this time accompanying him. The frost still held, and the boys went skating. 

I have said that there was no recognised system of fagging at Weston;yet, when a fellow in the head-master's class told a boy in the lowestform to do anything, why, it so happened that he generally did it. So, when Crawley observed:

"There's a beautiful bit of smooth ice under here. I say, you two, Penryhn and Simmonds, suppose you take those brooms and clear a bit ofit. "

Penryhn and Simmonds acted on the suggestion. After clearing sometwenty square yards of beautiful black ice, Simmonds turned up somethinghard, which he picked up and invoked Jupiter. 

"What is it?" asked Penryhn. 

"Findings, keepings, " responded Simmonds. 

"Let's look, " said Penryhn. "Why, that is Buller's knife!"

"Ah, ah! how do you know that?"

"Why, it has a punch in it; he lent it me to punch a hole in my strapwhen we got home from skating one day. It has his name engraved upon itsomewhere; there it is, look, on that plate--`T. Buller'. "

"Like my luck!" sighed Simmonds; "I never found anything yet but what itbelonged to some other fellow. "

"What was that you said, Penryhn, about Buller lending you his knife?"asked Crawley, who was cutting threes on the new bit of ice. "What daywas it?"

"The day before the snow; yesterday week, that was. "

"What time?"

"In the evening, just before supper, when I was cleaning up my skatesfor next day. By Jove! I see what you are driving at. Buller has notbeen any day since, so he must have dropped it when he came that night. "

"Of course. Now, you and Simmonds run back to school, find Cookson, whois senior master now the doctor's out, ask leave to go over toPenredding, and cut there as hard as you can split. "

The pair were off before he could finish his sentence. 

The party assembled in Mr Elliot's library was the same as on the weekpreviously, with the addition of a detective, who had detected nothing, and Mr Rabbits, who now testified that he saw skates hanging roundBuller's neck when he was getting in at the window. The question wasconcerning a further remand, for the magistrate firmly refused to committhe boy for trial on the evidence before them. "I grant that it issuspicious; he was out late at night when he had no business to be, andthat same night a Weston boy was, almost to a certainty, seized byBradley in the coppice. But if one boy could get out another might, andnow it is proved that this one had his skates with him at the time. Nojury would convict on such evidence. " He did not even like granting aremand, but neither did he like to stand out too strongly against thewishes of Lord Woodruff. 

At this juncture voices were heard outside, and presently a constableopened the door and said that two young gentlemen from Weston hadsomething to say. 

"Found the real culprit, perhaps, " muttered Lord Woodruff. 

"Bring them in, " said the magistrate, and Simmonds and Penryhn entered, hot, excited, and still panting for breath. 

"Please, sir, we have leave from Mr Cookson, and I have found TomBowling--I mean Buller's knife, " said the former, addressing DrJolliffe, who waved his hand towards Mr Elliot in silence, and frowned. 

"Wait a bit, my lad, do not be flurried, " said the magistrate; "standthere. Let him be sworn, " he added to the clerk. And Simmonds took hisfirst legitimate oath. 

Then he told the simple story which we know. And when he had donePenryhn kissed the book in his turn and completed the chain of evidence. It was really quite sufficiently clear, that unless yet another boy hadgot out, and gone skating on the gravel-pits that night, taking Buller'sknife with him and losing it, that he himself had been there as he said;and therefore that he was not in the coppice, two miles on the otherside of Weston. Lord Woodruff himself was convinced, and Buller was atonce discharged, everybody shaking hands with him. 

"And, Buller, " said Dr Jolliffe as they left the house, "as I hope thatthe anxiety you have been subjected to by your own unlawful action willprove sufficient punishment, I shall not take any further notice of yourbreaking out that night. Let it be a lesson to you, that you cannotengage in what is unlawful without assuming something which is common to_all_ criminals, and running the risk of being mixed up with them. "Which was a beautifully mild preachee to take the place of floggee. 

Tom Bowling received quite an ovation next day, and did not know what todo with his popularity. He was ready enough to skate now, but a thawcame, and there was no other chance afforded that term. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

A HOLIDAY INVITATION. 

A week before the Christmas holidays a boy named Gould came up toCrawley and said, "I wish you would come and stay with me a week or sothis Christmas at my father's place in Suffolk, Nugget Towers. The bestof the shooting is over, the partridges being very wild by now, and itis not a pheasant country, as there are no woods to speak of. But thereare a good many snipe down towards the river, so you had better bringyour gun. Besides we will have a day's partridge driving, for there areplenty, if you could only get at them. And there is a pack of foxhoundsthat meets about ten miles off once a week at least, and some harriersclose by. I generally go out with the harriers. We can give you amount; you do not ride above twelve stone I should say, do you?"

"No, I should think not, but I have not been weighed lately, " repliedCrawley. "You are very kind, I am sure, but does your father know?Perhaps he has made arrangements to fill his house. "

"Oh no! it is all right. My father does not bother his head about suchthings; he is perpetually going to London, and thinking of business. But my mother and sisters want you to come, and have told me to askyou. "

"I am much obliged to them, they are very good. And I should like itvery much, " said Crawley, somewhat more hesitatingly than it was hiswont to speak. 

For this invitation was rather a hot coal on his head. Gould hadcourted his acquaintance and he had rather snubbed him, not liking himparticularly. He was rich, which mattered to nobody, but he gavehimself airs on the strength of it, and that did. There are few thingsmore irritating than to hear anyone perpetually bragging of his money, and if you happen to be poor yourself I do not think that it helps youto sit and listen more patiently. And then Gould was an injudiciousflatterer; he made the flattered fellow uncomfortable. It is a nicething, flattery, and causes one to feel good all over, if it isdelicately applied with a camel's-hair brush, as it were. But Gouldlaid it on with a trowel. He only courted success; if anyone were downhe would be the first to spurn him. 

Now, Crawley was undoubtedly the boy held in greatest estimation in theschool: captain and treasurer of the cricket and football clubs, good-looking, pleasant in manners, open, generous, clever at lessons, he wasa special favourite with masters and boys, and therefore Gould burnt hisincense before him. For to be Crawley's chum was to gain a certainamount of consideration in the school, and Gould did not mind shiningwith a reflected light. He was not like Saurin in that respect, whoseegotism saved him at least from being a toad-eater. Gould was vainenough, but his vanity was of a different kind. But hitherto all hisefforts had been in vain, and Crawley had rather snubbed him. This hadnot prevented Gould from talking about him, exaggerating his merits, andbragging about his intimacy with him at home. It was always "my friendCrawley and I" did this, that, and the other. So that Mrs Gould wroteto him one day asking whether he would not like his inseparable to comeand stay with him during the holidays; and Clarissa Gould added apostscript to the effect that as he was so clever he would be of greatuse to them in their private theatricals. 

Crawley was one boy amongst a rather large family of girls; the fatherwas dead, and the mother, though able to live in ordinary comfort, wasfar from rich. She could not indulge in carriages and horses, or men-servants, for example, and she lived near London for the sake of herdaughters' education. So that Crawley had never had an opportunity ofgaining proficiency in those sports which cannot be indulged in withouta good deal of expenditure, and he looked upon hunting and shooting assublime delights far out of his reach at present, though perhaps hemight attain to them by working very hard, some day. His ambition wasto enter the army, not that he thought drill any particular fun, ordesired the destruction of his fellow-creatures, or ever indulged indreams of medals, bars, triumphal arches, and the thanks of parliament, but simply because he might get to India, stick pigs, and shoot tigers. Shooting! hunting! Gould's words made his nerves tingle from head tofoot with excitement. And he had thought the fellow who now offered hima taste of such pleasures a muff, a bore, a sycophant, and done his bestto avoid him! How wrong it is to have prejudices!

"Well, then, when will you come?" asked Gould. 

"As soon as it is convenient to have me after Christmas, " repliedCrawley. "I must spend the Christmas week at home, you know; but then Iam free. I should tell you, though, that I cannot shoot or ride alittle bit. I have never had any practice, and you will find me anawful duffer. "

"All right; fellows always say that. "

"Yes, I know they do sometimes, in mock modesty. But in my case it's afact, and I warn you, that I may not spoil your fun. "

"My dear fellow, " said Gould, "you could not do that unless your want ofskill were catching. I should be glad if I could put you up to awrinkle or two. "

"On those terms, then, I shall be very glad to come. "

"That is all right. "

What a happy stroke for Gould! he had come to call Crawley "my dearfellow" already. 

The idea of his new friend putting him up to a "wrinkle or two" rathertickled Crawley. Gould was so poor a performer at cricket, fives, lawn-tennis, football everything which required a ready hand, a quick eye, and firm nerves--that Crawley could not imagine his beating him evenwith the advantage of previous knowledge. Yet he had not exaggeratedhis own deficiencies. Bring his gun, indeed! The only gun he had tobring was a single-barrelled muzzle-loader which had belonged to hisfather. With this he had shot water-rats, sparrows, and, on oneoccasion when they were very numerous, fieldfares; but not flying--hehad never attempted that. No; he had stalked his small bird till he gotwithin thirty yards of the bough where it was perched, and taken asteady pot-shot. As for riding, when a very little boy during hisfather's lifetime he had had a pony; and two or three times since, whenstaying at watering-places in the summer, he had mounted a hired hack. So that his ideas of sport were gathered entirely from books andpictures, to which, when they treated of that subject, he was devotedlyattached. What happy hours he had spent poring over _Jorrock's Hunts, Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour_, and the works of the _Old Shekarry_! Whenhe went to a picture-gallery he was listless until he came upon somerepresentation of moving adventure by flood or field, and then the restof the party could hardly drag him away. He had a little collection ofcoloured prints in his room at home, gathered at various times, andhighly esteemed by him, which conveyed a somewhat exaggerated idea ofequine powers. For in one a horse was clearing a stream about the widthof the Thames at Reading, and in another an animal of probably the samebreed was flying a solid stone wall quite ten feet high. Now he was tohave a little taste of these often-dreamed-of joys, and the ideaabsorbed his thoughts and made him restless at night. 

To do him justice, he did not think about it on first meeting his motherand sisters when he went home; but on the second day of his return theinvitation and all it promised came back to him, and he broached thematter to Mrs Crawley at breakfast-time. "Please, Mother, I have hadan invitation to spend a week with a school-fellow after Christmas. "

"Oh, and who is he?" asked Mrs Crawley. 

"A chap named Gould; they are awfully rich people--just the sort I oughtto know, you know. They live in Suffolk at a place called NuggetTowers. "

"And what sort of boy is he? Because, of course, Vincent, we must askhim here in the summer in return. "

"Well, he is always very civil to me, and I don't know any harm of him;but he is not good at games and that, and not much fun to talk to--so Ihave never been quite so thick with him as he wished. That makes it allthe more civil of him. He must have talked about me at home, for hismother sent the invitation. "

"Well, Vincent, I am glad you spoke of it at once, for we must makehaste to look over your linen, which generally comes home in a terriblestate. You had better go to-day to the tailor and get measured for yourdress clothes; but you were to have had them for Christmas any way, sothat will be nothing extra. "

For Crawley, it must be mentioned, had arrived at an age and height whena tail-coat was a necessary garment if he went anywhere of an evening. 

"No, Mother, " he said, "except a pair of porpoise-hide boots and someleggings; and could I have a gun, do you think? There will be someshooting, you know. "

"A gun, Vincent! Will not the one you have already do?"

"Oh, no, Mother--it is so old and out of date, I should be laughed at. I might just as well take an arquebus or a crossbow. "

"Is not a gun a very expensive thing?"

"Why, you may make it so, of course; but I don't want that. I have beenstudying the _Field_, and I can get a good central-fire breech-loaderfor £10. "

"Ten pounds is a good deal, " said Mrs Crawley thoughtfully; "but Isuppose you must have a gun if you want one. Only remember, Vincent, that I am not rich, and your education and other expenses are veryheavy. And there are your sisters to be thought of--what with theirdresses and their music, drawing and dancing, I have to be verycareful. "

"Oh, of course, Mother, " said Crawley, going round and kissing her;"what a dear you are!"

And his heart smote him as he thought of certain "ticks" he owed atschool, and had not yet had the courage to confess to. For VincentCrawley, though he had many good qualities, was by no means perfect. Hewas rather spoiled by indulgence at home and popularity at school, andthought a good deal too much of himself for one thing, and for anotherhe was inclined to be thoughtless and extravagant in money matters. Itis excellent to be generous with money which is absolutely our own; butto seek to get the credit for generosity at other people's expense isquite another, and not at all an admirable thing. Crawley knew this intheory, but practically, if he wanted anything and could get it, he hadit; and if a friend had a longing for ices, strawberry mess, oyster-patties, or any other school luxury, he would treat him, running up ascore if he had not the cash in his pocket to pay with. And if therewas generosity in this impulse, I fear that there was ostentation too. It added to his popularity, and popularity had become as the air hebreathed. _For the only real test of generosity is self-denial_. Ifyou go without something you really want in order to oblige someoneelse, that is genuine, admirable, and somewhat rare. But if you haveeverything you want and forego nothing whatever by conferring a favour, you may show good nature, careless indifference to the value of money, or a pleasant sense of patronage, but not necessarily true generosity. That _may_ be the spirit which dictates your conduct, but the act doesnot prove it. 

Now, in Crawley's case, his mother was the only one who had to exerciseself-denial. But he never thought of that. He prided himself on beinga very generous fellow, and so he was by nature, but not so much so ashe took credit for, and he was growing more selfish than otherwise;which was a pity. He went up to London, and was measured for his dressclothes, and got his boots and gaiters, and then sought out and foundthe gun-shop, mentioned in the _Field_, and instead of pretending to beknowing about firearms, wisely told the shopman why he came to him, andthat he trusted him entirely, being quite unable to judge for himself, which made the man take particular pains to select him a good one, andshow him how to judge if the stock suited him; namely, by fixing hiseyes on an object, and bringing the gun sharply up to his shoulder. Then closing the left eye, and looking along the barrel with the right, to see whether the sight was on the object. If he had to raise or lowerthe muzzle to obtain that result, it was obvious that it did not come upright for him. At length he got one which suited him exactly, and hewas shown the mechanism by which the breeches were opened and closed, and learned how to take it to pieces, put it together again, clean it, and oil it. 

Finally he bought it, together with a hundred cartridges, fifty beingloaded with snipe-shot, and fifty with number five; all on thegunmaker's recommendation, to whom he explained the kind of shooting heexpected to have. He would not let it be sent home for him, but took itoff himself. 

"You only hold it straight, sir, and I'll guarantee the gun will killwell enough, " said the maker as he left. 

What a charm there is in a new bat, a new gun, a new fly-rod, a newracket; how one longs for an opportunity to try it! Really it is oftena consolation to me to think that very rich people lose all that. Wheneverything is so easily obtained, nothing is of any value. Crawley atany rate was delighted with his new possession. He took it to piecesand put it together again for the benefit of every member of the family, besides a good many times for his own private delectation, and practisedaiming drill and position drill by the hour together, without knowingthat there were any such military exercises. 

The frost set in again, however, a week before Christmas, and when theice bore, he had to leave his new toy alone, for besides practisinghimself, his sisters required tuition in the art of skating. And youmust not think that he found the time hang heavy to the day of hisdeparture; he was too fresh home, and of too genial a disposition forthat, besides which it was Christmas time. But he did look forward withpleasurable excitement to his visit, for all that. 

The day came at length, and he started for Barnsbury, snugly ensconsedin a first-class carriage, with wraps, and comic papers, and a story byManville Fenn with a thrilling picture on the cover, and his beloved gunin the rack over his head. His mother had suggested travelling second-class, but he durst not, for fear someone should meet him at thestation. He was right in that expectation, for when the train stoppedat Barnsbury he saw Gould and a man in livery waiting for him on theplatform. 

"All right! how are you, old fellow?" said Gould, shaking him by thehand. "How good of you to come! No hunting in such a frost as this, soI thought I would drive over myself. "

Crawley said something civil, and the groom touched his hat and askedwhat luggage he had, taking his gun-case from him as he spoke. 

"It will be brought after us in the tax-cart, " said Gould, "which hascome over too. I hate a lot of luggage in the trap I am driving, don'tyou? Leave it to William and come along; it will be all right;" and heled the way out of the station, where there was a dog-cart with anotherliveried servant on the seat, and a handsome nag in the shafts, waitingat the door. 

The man jumped down and touched his hat; Crawley got in; Gould gatheredup the reins, sat beside him, and started, the man springing up behindas they moved off, and balancing himself, with folded arms, as smart andnatty as you please. 

Crawley wondered more and more that he had never perceived anysuperiority in Gould; surely he must be very blind. 

"It is only half-an-hour's drive, behind an animal like this, " said hisnew friend. "The frost is giving, so we may have a run with theharriers in a few days. In the meantime there are a good many snipe. We will have a crack at them to-morrow morning, if you like. "

"I should like very much, " replied Crawley. 

The country they were driving through was not very picturesque, as itwanted wood, a strange want for Suffolk; but they soon came to a lodgewith a gate, opened for them by a curtseying woman, and admitting themto a park where there were trees, and fine ones, though standing aboutby themselves, not grouped together. They spun along through this up toa large white house with a colonnade in front, and a terrace, with urnsfor flowers and statues all along it, looking bare and cheerless enoughat this time of year. But the hall made amends when they entered it, for it was warm, luxurious, and bright enough for a sitting-room. Twofootmen in plush and with slightly powdered hair inhabited it, and oneof them helped Crawley to get rid of his wraps, and then Gould led theway to the drawing-room, where Mrs Gould and three daughters weredrinking tea and eating muffins and things, for fear they should havetoo good appetites for dinner, I suppose, and introduced him. 

Crawley shook several hands and accepted a cup of tea, and sat down on avery low and very soft seat, which he could have passed the night inluxuriously if beds had run short, and felt as awkward as you please. He always was shy in ladies' society. Not in that of his sisters, ofcourse; he patronised them and made them fag for him. It was certainlytheir own fault if they did not like it, for they had taught him. Butthey did like it, he being one of his sort, and not often at home, andin return he waltzed with them, which was a bore, and gave them easyservice at lawn-tennis, which made him slow, and was generally anamiable young Turk. 

But the Misses Gould did not look like being fagged, rather the reverse. They were all grown up, at least to look at, though one was not yet"out. " Clarissa, the next, a girl of eighteen, came and sat down by himand talked to him, for which he felt very grateful, for he was beginningto wish the floor to open and let him through. At first, indeed, shetalked of things he knew nothing about: balls, and levees, and the four-in-hand club, and the Orleans. But finding the service was too severe, and he could not send the ball back, she asked if he was fond of thetheatre, and as he was, very, and had been to one a few nights before, he became more like himself, and showed some animation in hisdescription of the piece he had seen, and the performers. 

At this juncture a quiet-looking man out of livery came softly into theroom, and asked him deferentially for his keys, as his luggage hadarrived. Seizing the idea that he proposed to unpack for him, anoperation he disliked, he gladly gave them up, wondering whether theserich people ever did anything for themselves at all. 

"I see that you are great upon acting, " said Miss Clarissa when thevalet was gone, "and I am so glad! For we are getting up some privatetheatricals; you will take a part?"

"Why, " said Crawley in some dismay, "I never yet tried to act myself; Iam afraid I should spoil everything. "

"Oh no! we have heard all about you from my brother, you know; you havea good memory, have you not?"

"I believe so; I have never found much difficulty in learning by heart. "

"That is one good thing to begin with; we will soon see if you can actat all. Some of our friends are coming over to-morrow for rehearsal. We have agreed to try _St. Cupid, or Dorothy's Fortune_, and we want a`Bellefleur. ' You will take the part, will you not? I am to be`Dorothy Budd. ' You will not have so very much to do. Do you know theplay?"

"No, unfortunately, and I--" Crawley began, meaning to back out; butMiss Clarissa cut him short. 

"No matter, " she said, "I will fetch you a copy, " and she got up andreturned presently with a little book. "You had better read it allthrough, and mark your parts with the tags. The tags, you know, are thelast sentences of the speaker before you, to which you have to reply. You can learn some while you are dressing for dinner; that is a capitaltime. And I will give you a hint or two this evening in the billiard-room. You don't mind?"

What could Crawley say? He _did_ mind, not bargaining for learninglessons in the holidays; but he could not show himself so uncivil a booras to refuse. So he promised to do his best, and when the gong sounded, took his little book up into the bedroom with him. 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

CRAWLEY IS TAKEN DOWN THREE PEGS. 

"Good gracious!" A large fire was burning in the grate; an easy-chairwas drawn up on one side of it; over the back of an ordinary oneopposite a clean shirt was warming itself, with the studs inserted inthe front and the wristbands. On the bed the dress clothes were neatlylaid out; the patent-leather boots stood at attention on the hearth-rug;hot water steamed from a japanned jug on the wash-hand stand; two waxcandles lit up the dressing-table; two more stood on another near thefire, which had also writing materials on it. The room could not havebeen prepared for a duchess, because a duchess would not wear a blackcoat and trousers; and besides, they were certainly _his_ clothes. 

Dressing took Crawley about ten minutes, and he had an hour for theoperation. So he looked hurriedly through the play, and marked theparts allotted to Ensign Bellefleur. It did not seem very much, so hefelt a little encouraged, and taking Miss Clarissa's advice, set thebook open on the table and began learning what he would have to say, while going on with his toilet. He had a really surprisingly retentivememory, and picked up a good bit even in that little time. 

He found Mr Gould in the drawing-room when he went down, and the oldgentleman asked him after his progress in study, and what profession heintended to adopt, in a pompous and condescending way; but it was only afew sentences, for there were other gentlemen there, who came up andbutton-holed him seriously, and with whom he seemed to hold portentousconversation, politics, perhaps, or shares, or something of that kind. Then the ladies assembled, and the second gong boomed, and the peoplepaired off. Crawley timidly offered his arm to Miss Clarissa, ratherfearing he was doing wrong, and ought to go to someone else. But shetook it all right; and he quoted from the play he had been studying:

"`Here we escape then. Come, cousin! nay, your lips were set for pearlsand diamonds, and I'll not lose the promised treasure. '"

"`Well, good counsel is a gem, '" the young lady responded smartly. "`But, George, I fear me you'll never carry the jewel in your ears. 'The quotation is not apt, though, for you evidently have carried my goodcounsel in your ears, and been learning your part already. How good ofyou!"

Here was a chance for Crawley to say something pretty; but he could notthink of what it should be till afterwards. 

If the ladies' society was a little thrown away upon him he appreciatedthe dinner, which was by far the most luxurious meal he had ever seen inhis life. A _table-d'hote_ at Scarborough had hitherto been his _beauideal_ of a feed, but that was not in the race with the Gould banquet. And the champagne; on the few occasions when he had had a chance oftasting that wine, he had got all he could and wanted more. But now hisonly care was not to take too much of it, lest it should get into hishead. 

"Are you studying your part?" asked his neighbour, for he had beensilent for some time. 

"No, " he replied; "I was thinking that if your brother lives like thisevery day, he must find the fare rather unpalatable when he goes back toWeston. "

"I believe he does, " said Miss Clarissa laughing. "At least he writeshome grumbling letters enough, and we have to send him hampers of goodthings--Perigord pies and that. Don't stop longer than you like, " sheadded as the ladies rose. "Papa will go on talking about stupid thingsall night. "

And shortly afterwards young Gould, who had taken his sister's placewhen she went, proposed that they should go to the billiard-room andknock the balls about. So they went and made a four-handed game withtwo of the girls. And then Miss Clarissa read over the scenes in whichCrawley had to take part with her, and made him repeat what he hadlearned, with appropriate action. And he got partially over hisshyness, and spent rather a pleasant evening, thanks, a little bit, Ifancy, to a little vanity. His friend came to have a chat with himafter they had gone up to their rooms, and when he left Crawley couldnot help thinking what a pity it was that his sister Clarissa had notbeen the boy and he the girl. She was such a much better sort of fellowfor a friend; had more go, and was heartier. Before he finally turnedin he read the part of Ensign Bellefleur over again, for he felt toomuch excited by the novelty of everything to sleep, if he went to bed. At last, however, reading the same words over repeatedly quieted hisnerves, and he slept soundly till morning. 

"You are still inclined to have a try for the snipe?" asked Gould atbreakfast. "It is still thawing, and the ground will be very sloshy; Ihope you have got thick boots. "

"Yes, and if I hadn't I do not mind a little wet, " replied Crawley. "But I can't find my gun anywhere. "

"Oh, that is all right in the gun-room. "

This was another new idea to Crawley, who previously thought that it wasonly ships in Her Majesty's navy, and not houses, that had gun-rooms. They visited it presently, and Crawley found his property taken out ofits case, put together, and standing side by side with others in a glasscupboard. He took it down and left the house with his companion. Onthe terrace they found a keeper with the dogs, and started off for themarshy ground by the river. 

"Put a few cartridges loose in your pocket, " said Gould. "William willcarry the rest. "

The low-lying lands were intersected by deep trenches, which dividedthem into fields just as hedges would. These were now frozen over, butthe ice was melting fast, and water stood on the top. Along them walkedthe two gunners, William the keeper following with Scamp, the retriever, in a leash; for Scamp would hunt about and put everything up far out ofrange. 

"Look out, Crawley!" cried Gould, as a snipe flushed in front of him. 

He would not have known it was a snipe unless Gould had told him, as itwas the first he had ever seen alive. He tried to take aim at it, shutting the left eye as if he were shooting at a target with a rifle, which caused him to twiddle his gun about as if he were letting off asquib, for the bird darted about as though on purpose to dodge him. Sohe pulled one trigger, and then, quite by accident, for he did not knowhow to find it in his flurry, the other, and I don't suppose went withintwo yards of the snipe with either barrel. With a steadier flight, having now got well on the wing, it sailed within reach of Gould, whoknocked it over. 

"Wiped your eye, old fellow!" he cried triumphantly as Scamp came backwith the bird in his mouth. 

"Yes; I told you I was a duffer, " replied Crawley, who took note thatthe best way was to wait for the bird to have done his zigzagging. Sohe steadied himself, and the next chance he had he did wait. But not abit could he cover the bird with that little knob of a sight, and whenthe smoke cleared away he saw it careering like a kite with too light atail in the distance. Gould also missed twice, and then shot one themoment it was off the ground, before the erratic course commenced. 

"That looks the easiest dodge, " thought Crawley, and the next shot hehad he tried it with the first barrel, missed, waited till the snipe wasflying more steadily and gave it the second barrel, missed again. Hegot quite hot, and felt sure the keeper was laughing at him, but thatofficial only said:

"I'd put in a cartridge with bigger shot now; there's some duck, Ithink, in yon bit of rushes by the river. "

They did as he advised, and they walked down to the spot. In went thespaniels, and out came a fine mallard, ten yards in front of Crawley, and sailing away from him as steady as a ship. He could cover thislarge evenly-flying mark as easily as if it were on a perch nearly, andwhen he pulled trigger the duck stopped in his flight, and fell with aheavy splash in the river, into which Scamp plunged as if it weremidsummer, and presently brought the duck to land. Crawley felt theelation which always accompanies the first successful shot at a bird onthe wing; at any rate he had killed something, and might do well yetwhen the strangeness wore off. 

He had another chance at a duck a little while afterwards, but this timethe bird flew across and not straight away from him, and as he held hisgun still at the moment he got the sight on the duck and fired, ofcourse, since the duck had not the politeness to stop too, the chargewent about two yards behind it. 

"I beg your pardon, sir, " said William, "but if you takes aim like thatyou will never hit 'em; 'tain't possible. You must forget all aboutyour gun, and only look at the bird, and pull the trigger the moment yougets a full sight of him. The gun will follow your eye of itself, natural. "

"I know I ought to keep both eyes open, " said Crawley, "but I forget. "

"Well, that is best, to my thinking, though I have known some good shotstoo who always shut the left eye. But whether or no the chiefest thingis not to see that sight on your gun when you shoot, but only to look atthe bird. "

They went on to another snipe patch, and soon Crawley missed again. 

"Never mind, sir, " said William, "it's a knack, snipe-shooting is, andno one can catch it without practice. I've seen good partridge, aye, and rabbit shots, miss 'em time after time, and I've knowed good snipe-shots poor at anything else too. "

At last, by trying to follow the keeper's directions, Crawley did hit asnipe as it was flushed, but it was his only one. They were much moreplentiful than usual in that part, and lay like stones, so that they hadplenty of shooting, and William groaned in spirit over the opportunityof sport that had been wasted on two boys. What a tip Sir Harry wouldhave given him in his delight if he had come out with him on such a day!

Thirty-five cartridges had Crawley burned when they turned homewards inthe afternoon, and the result was one duck, one snipe; if he hadpossessed a tail, how closely it would have been tucked between hislegs! He hardly dared look the animals who had those appendages in theface; how they must have despised him! Gould, who was a bad shot, hadbagged five couple, and patronised him insufferably. When they got homehe found a warm foot-bath ready in his room, which was a most refreshingluxury, and having made himself presentable he went down to the drawing-room, where the neighbours who were going to act in the forthcoming playwere assembled at afternoon tea, preparatory to the rehearsal. Andpresently they adjourned to the library and went through the play, acertain Mr Foljambe, to whom everybody paid implicit obedience, directing and instructing them. 

Crawley knew his part, and paid attention to what he was told, and thegreat man considered that he would do, if he could only get over acertain shy awkwardness. And indeed it was a provoking thing toClarissa Gould, that when they went through their scenes alone togetherhe acted in a manner that really showed great promise, but if a thirdperson were present he was not so good, and with every additionalspectator the merit of his performance diminished. There was only onescene in which he managed completely to forget himself and become theperson he represented, and that was where he crosses swords with thehero, and is disarmed. He could fence a little, and did not quite likeplaying at getting the worst of it when it was not certain that he oughtto have done so; but still, the violent action, and the clash of steelhelped him to get rid of that feeling that he was making a tom-fool ofhimself, which confused him when he had to make a lot of spoony speechesto the girl. 

Mr Foljambe encouraged him with the assurance that being dressed forthe part would give him confidence; in a strange dress, a falsemoustache, and a painted face, he would not know himself in the glass, and would feel that the spectators did not entirely recognise himeither. It was necessary to make the best of him, for there was noother Ensign Bellefleur available. 

The men of the day before had taken their departure, and were succeededby a more lively lot, for there was to be a partridge drive and a biglunch on the morrow, and most of those who were to take part in it sleptat Nugget Towers that night. So, instead of shares and companies, MrGould the father held forth upon agricultural prospects, the amount ofgame, and the immediate renewal of hunting, in consequence of thecomplete change in the weather. 

"You ought to have had a good many snipe by the way, Gould, " said one ofthe guests. "They are always found in those water meadows of yours atthe end of a frost. "

"My son and his young friend can tell you best about them, " replied MrGould. "I believe they have been out after them to-day. "

"Ah! and what sport had you?" asked the inquirer, turning to youngGould. 

"Oh, I got five couple. "

"And your friend?"

"I only shot one, " said Crawley with an uneasy laugh. 

"Come, I say, Lionel, " said Clarissa Gould to her brother, "I am notgoing to have my cousin Bellefleur treated in this manner. You are anice sort of host to leave your guest the worst of the shooting. "

"He had as many shots as I had, " said young Gould, whose desire of self-glorification smothered any soupcon of good taste which he might haveacquired, "only he missed them all. "

"Indeed, yes, " said Crawley, concealing his sense of humiliation in thevery best way; "why I fired two barrels at one snipe before Gould killedit for me. I am a perfect novice at all field sports. "

"Ah!" observed the first inquirer, "I know I fired away a pound of leadbefore I touched a snipe when I first began. But what a lot of themthere must have been if you killed five couple, Lionel. "

"I do not think I should care for shooting if I were a man, " saidClarissa to Crawley. "But hunting, now, I should be wild about. I huntsometimes, but only with the harriers. Mama will not let me go out withthe foxhounds, and they meet so far off that I cannot fall in with themby accident, for there is no cover near here. But the harriers are togo out the day after to-morrow, if the frost does not return, and I amlooking forwards to a good gallop. Are you fond of hunting?"

"I know that I should be, " replied Crawley, "but I do not own a horse, and never have a chance of it. "

"Oh, well, we will mount you; I think Daisy will be quite up to yourweight, Sir Robert certainly would, but Daisy is the nicest to ride. "

After dinner there was music, and Crawley was asked if he could sing. There was no backing out, for young Gould had bragged about his friend'svoice, which was indeed a good one though untrained. But he only sang_Tubal Cain_, _Simon the Cellarer_, and one or two others of that sort, of which the music was not forthcoming. At last, however, Julia Gould, who was the pianist, found _John Peel_, which he knew, and he foundhimself standing by that young lady, confused and shamefaced, trying tomake his voice master a great lump there seemed to be in his throat. Tomake it worse the hubbub of voices ceased at the first notes, though ithad swelled the louder during previous performances. All the men beganmarking the time with heads and hands, and when the chorus came firstone and then another joined in, and it ended in a full burst of sound, just as when Crawley sung it at school. This gave him confidence, andhe sang the second and remaining verses with spirit, the chorusesswelling louder and louder, and when he finished there was much hand-clapping. So at last he had a gleam of success, and Lionel Gould, whohad been growing a little supercilious, returned partially to his oldconciliatory manner. 

Next day a large party sallied forth with their guns, and Crawley wasplaced under a high, thick hedge, and told to look out for partridges asthey came over his head. Young Gould was some little distance on hisleft; and at about the same interval on his right Sir Harry Sykes, aneighbouring squire famous for his skill with the gun, had his station. Beaters had gone round a long way off to drive the birds towards them, and soon shots were heard to right and left; and then Crawley saw somedark specks coming towards his hedge, and prepared to raise his gun. But it was like a flash of lightning; they were over and away before hecould bring his gun up. Gould had fired, indeed, though ineffectually, but Sir Harry had a brace. Three more appeared; this time Crawley firedhis first barrel at them before they were within shot, and then turninground, gave them the second after they had got far out of it. Morecame; Gould got one, Sir Harry another; a brace, flying close togetherpassed not directly over Crawley, but a little to his right; and SirHarry having just fired and being unloaded, Crawley let fly at them, andby a lucky fluke they both came rushing to the ground, stone-dead. 

"Good shot, boy!" cried Sir Harry. He had hardly spoken before morebirds came directly towards him; Crawley watched; he shot one as it cameon, and immediately, without turning round, raised his gun, head, andarms, till it seemed as if he would go over backwards, and fired againwith equally deadly effect. 

This second feat Crawley did not attempt to imitate, but a steady shotas they came on he did keep trying, and not entirely without success, for every now and then a partridge came tumbling nearly into his face. But Gould shot two to his one, and he did second worst of the party. However, it was such quick and wholesale work that individual prowesswas taken little notice of. And then there was a long, hot luncheon, which some of the ladies came out to, and another drive a few miles offin the afternoon. 

It was all very exciting, and Crawley found the day a great deal tooshort; but still he would have preferred the snipe-shooting, if he couldonly be alone with no one to see his misses. There seemed more sport infinding your game than in having it driven up to you. 

When he went up to dress for dinner he found a hamper of game there, with a blank label attached, for him to put any address he liked. So hewrote his mother's; and when it arrived she gave him most unmeritedcredit for skill, forethought, and trouble-taking. The Goulds certainlydid things in a princely way. 

It rained softly all that night, clearing up about nine in the morning, when those who were going out with the harriers had been half-an-hour atbreakfast--Miss Clarissa, who was one of them, taking that meal in herhabit. Crawley could hardly eat for excitement. The moment the waterfor his tub had been brought he had jumped up, and, directly he wasdressed, hurried to the stables to see the horse he was to ride. 

"And which is it to be?" asked Miss Clarissa. 

"Well, I meant to take your advice and Daisy; but the groom said she hada delicate mouth and required a light hand, which I cannot have, youknow, for want of practice. And he said Sir Robert was the strongeranimal and would stay better, though not so fast. So I fixed on SirRobert. "

"And he will carry you very well if you can hold him; Lionel can't. "

"What can't I do?" asked young Gould across the table, with his mouthfull of game-pie. 

"Hold Sir Robert. "

"Why, his mouth is a bit hard, but I can sit him anyhow. "

"Oh, yes, he goes easy enough. "

The horses were soon brought round, and they all--a party of five--wentout. Miss Clarissa, the only lady, put her foot into Mr Foljambe'sproffered hand and vaulted lightly into the saddle. Crawley could mountwithout awkwardness; he had learned enough for that, and he knew whatlength of stirrup suited him, and could trot along the road or canterover the grass without attracting attention; so all went well till theyreached Marley Farm, where the meet was. But directly Sir Robert sawthe hounds he got excited and wanted a gallop--a thing the frost haddebarred him of for weeks. So he kicked up his heels and shook hishead, and capered about in a manner very grateful to his own feelings, but most discomposing to his rider, who was first on the pommel, then onthe crupper, then heeling over on the near side, then on the off--thoughboth sides threatened to be off sides if these vagaries took a moreviolent form. 

When the hounds were turned into a field and working, Sir Robertevidently thought: "Come! I can't be standing still all day while thosedawdling dogs are bothering about after a hare; a gallop I must have!"And he began to fight for his head; and it took all Crawley's strength--and he was a very muscular youngster--to hold him. Sir Robert did getaway half across the field once and nearly demolished a hound, withtwenty voices halloing to Crawley to come back, and the master usinglanguage which his godfathers and godmother never taught him, I amcertain. I can only quote the mildest of his reproofs which was: "Gohome to your nursery and finish your pap, you young idiot, and don'tcome endangering the lives of animals a thousand times more valuablethan yourself!"

Poor Crawley, wild with shame and rage, managed to haul his horse roundand get back to the others, when it did not improve his temper to seethe broad grin on young Gould's face. 

"Don't fight with your horse, youngster, " said an old gentleman kindly. "The more you pull, the more he will pull too. "

And Crawley loved that old gentleman, and would have adopted him for afather, or at least an uncle, on the spot, especially when he found hisadvice serviceable; for, loosing his reins when Sir Robert did standstill, and only checking him lightly when he tried to dart forward, kepthim much quieter. 

But would they never find that hare? Yes, at last there was a whimper, and another, and then a full burst, and away went the hounds, and thefield after them, and, with one final kick up of his heels, Sir Robertgot into his stride. Crawley forgot anger, vexation--everything but therapture of the moment. The life of the scene, the contagious excitementof dogs, horses, and men, the rapid motion, it was even beyond what hehad imagined. 

So across a field to a little broken hedge, which Sir Robert took in hisstride without his rider feeling it. Then sharp to the right towards abigger fence, with a ditch beyond; nothing for a girl to crane at, buthaving to be jumped. Crawley, straining his eyes after the hounds, andnot sitting very tight, was thrown forward when the horse rose, and, when he alighted, lost his stirrup, reeled, and came over on to motherearth; and when he rose to his feet he had the mortification to see SirRobert careering away in great delight, and he proceeded to plod throughthe heavy ground after him. 

"Whatever made you tumble off? Sir Robert never swerved or stumbled!"cried Miss Clarissa as she swept by him. But his wounded vanity washardly felt in the greater annoyance of being out of the hunt. 

But the best of harriers is that you hardly ever _are_ out of the hunt. The hare came round again; some good-natured man caught the horse andbrought him back to the grateful Crawley, who remounted and soon fell inwith the hounds at a check. 

"I say, you know, " said Mr Foljambe, "if you get another fall I shallexert my authority as theatrical manager and send you home. I cannothave my Ensign Bellefleur break his neck when the part is not doubled. "

"No!" said Miss Clarissa, "not before Wednesday. "

Whimper, whimper; they hit it off and away again. Another fence withhurdles in it, and a knot of rustics looking on in delight. Morecautious now, Crawley stuck his knees in and leaned back, and, when SirRobert alighted, was still on, with both feet in the stirrups, but verymuch on the pommel, and not in an elegant attitude at all. 

"Oh, look at he!" cried a boy with a turnip-chopper in one hand and afork for dragging that root out in the other. "He be tailor. "

"It's agwyne to rai-ain, Mister Lunnoner!" added another smockfrock;"won't yer get inside and pull the winders up?"

Even the clodhoppers jeered him; and that confounded friend of his, Gould, was close beside and laughed, and would be sure to repeat what heheard. Never mind, it was glorious fun. He came off again later in theafternoon, but that was at a good big obstacle, which most of the fieldavoided, going round by a gate, and Sir Robert stumbled a bit onlanding, which made an excuse. But this time the horse, who was not sofresh now, waited for him to get up again. He felt very stiff and sorewhen it was all over and they were riding home again; especially itseemed as if his lower garments were stuffed with nettles. As for histumbles, the ground was very soft, and he had not been kicked or troddenon, so that when he had had a warm bath he was as right as ninepence, only a little stiff. 

Gould came to see after his welfare while he was dressing, and hoped hewas not hurt, and expressed an opinion that he would learn to ride intime, and was glad they had only gone out with the jelly dogs instead ofthe foxhounds, or his friend and guest would not have seen anything ofthe run. All which was trying, coming from a fellow who had looked uponhim as an oracle, and to whom he had condescended. At dinner, too, hewas chaffed a little; but the hardest rider in the county, who hadcondescended to go out with the harriers to try a new horse, thefoxhounds not meeting that day, and who was dining with Mr Gouldafterwards, came to his rescue. "Never mind them, lad, " he said; "youwent as straight as a die. I saw you taking everything as it came, never looking for a gap or a gate, and it is not many of them can saythe same. "

This was Saturday, and Crawley was glad of a day of rest when he got upnext morning, he was so stiff. On Monday preparations for the privatetheatricals began in earnest. Dresses came down from London, and weretried on and altered; the large drawing-room was given up to the handsof workmen, who fitted up a small stage at one end of it, with slopingseats in front, that all the guests might see. Those who were to actwere always going into corners and getting some one to hear them theirparts, and there were rehearsals. It was all a great bore to Crawley, who would fain have spent the time in shooting or riding, of which hegot but little, so exacting was Miss Clarissa; and he was to go home onthe Thursday, the day after the entertainment. 

As the time approached, too, he felt more and more uncomfortable; he hadfound out from young Gould that the whole thing had been got up by hissister Clarissa, who thought herself a very good actress, and wished toshow off; and he could easily see that he would not have been asked tothe house at all, if it had not been for his school-fellow's talk, aboutwhat a clever individual he was--able to do everything. Now, next toSir Valentine May, no character in the comedy is so important for thedisplay of Dorothy Budd's (Clarissa's) performance as Ensign Bellefleur;and the more clearly Crawley saw this, the more fervently did he wishthat he was out of it. It was too late now, however, and as he got onvery fairly in the rehearsals, he began to hope he should pull throughsomehow. 

On Tuesday the house was filled with company, and he was asked to giveup his room and go to the top of the house, which, however, was notrouble to him. His clothes of seventeen hundred and fifteen werethough, when the eventful evening came, and his wig, and the man whofitted it and daubed his face. And yet, when all the fidgeting wasover, he wished that it had to begin again, that he might have a furtherrespite. 

The play began, and during the first scene he stood at the side envyingthe cool self-possession of Captain Wingfield, who had the part of"Valentine, " and every one of whose speeches was followed by laughterfrom the unseen audience. When the second scene opened Miss Clarissajoined him, looking charming in her old-world dress; they were to go onin company, and he made a strenuous effort to pull himself together. But when he found himself in the full glare of the foot-lights, andlooking before him saw the mass of expectant faces which rose, rankbehind rank, half-way to the ceiling, his head went round, his brainbecame confused, and his first sentence was inaudible. "Speak up!" saidMiss Clarissa in a loud whisper, and he uttered, "And have you noambition?" in a louder key indeed, but in trembling accents, andstanding more like a boy saying a lesson. 

The audience cannot hiss in private theatricals, but they could not helpa suppressed titter, which confused Crawley still more. He forgot whathe had to say, and looked appealingly to the prompter, who promptedrather too loudly. Altogether the scene was spoilt, and Clarissafurious. 

He did a little better in the second act, but not one quarter so well ashe had in rehearsals, and was ready to punch his own head with vexationwhen the whole thing was over, and he had got rid of his costume and themesses on his face. 

He went to bed instead of to supper, and next morning at breakfast noone alluded to the performance before him. Soon afterwards he took hisleave of all but Miss Clarissa, who kept out of his way, and LionelGould drove him to the station very sulkily, for his sister had ventedher displeasure upon him. And so they said an uncomfortable good-bye, and Crawley felt much relieved when he found himself alone in the train, with the humiliations of his visit behind him. They did not do him anyharm, quite the contrary; he was made of better stuff than that. Ofcourse he felt sore at his failures, when he was used to play firstfiddle. When the devil of conceit is cast out of us the throes aresevere. But by the time he got home Crawley was able to laugh at hisown mishaps. Perhaps Gould got the worst of it after all. "_That_friend of yours an Admirable Crichton!" said his sister. "A fine setyou must be!"

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

THE DESCENT OF AVERNUS. 

A worse resident than Mr Wobbler the pedestrian took up his abode atSlam's, and this was no other than his son, Josiah Slam, who had gone toLondon as the only field wide enough for his talents ten years before, and had only been occasionally heard of since. Now, however, he thoughtfit to pay his parents a visit, and did not appear to be in prosperouscircumstances, though it is probable that he had money, or money'sworth, or the prospect of it, for Slam was not the man to kill thefatted calf for a prodigal son, unless he saw the way to making a goodprofit out of the veal, the hoofs, and the skin. 

Josiah was a young man of varied accomplishments, all of which werepractised for the purpose of transferring other people's cash from theirpockets to his own. He called himself a sportsman, and no doubt theoperation alluded to was sport, to him. Arriving about Christmas time, when holiday making was general, he gleaned a little at the game ofskittles, at which many of the agriculturists round about thought theywere somewhat proficient; but cunning as he was he could not go ondisguising his game for ever, and so directly he saw that the yokelswere growing shy of playing with him, he gave it up. The Sunday pitch-and-toss and card assemblages were also a source of profit to him. Marriner thought he could cheat, and had indeed stolen money in that wayfrom his companions, and there was nothing Josiah Slam liked better thandealing with a weaker member of his own fraternity. He allowed Marrinerto cheat him a little, and pretended not to discover it; played at beingvexed; drew him on, and fleeced him of his ill-gotten gains. 

But it was apparent that he played too well at these amusements also, sothen he showed them a game at which everybody might win, except himself. Where it was all chance, and skill could not interfere. Roulette, inshort. The room in which Professor Wobbler had given his boxing lessonshad a table fitted up in it, and on this table the wheel-of-fortune, with its black and red compartments, and its little ivory ball to rattleround and finally fall into one of them, was placed, with a cloth markedin compartments answering to those in the wheel for the gamblers tostake their money upon. This game proved very fascinating to thedissipated amongst the farmers' sons round about, and to some of thefarmers too, and money which ought to have gone to buy stock, or for therent, was lost at that table. Of course some of them won occasionally, and considerable sums, for them, too; that formed the fascination of it. 

But the agricultural interest was depressed, and ready money notforthcoming to the extent Josiah Slam desired; so upper servants of theneighbouring gentry were admitted, under strong vows of secrecy, andmore than one gamekeeper's and huntsman's family was short of coals andmeat that winter, because the money to provide such necessaries was lefton that satanic, innocent-looking table. Every night this gambling wenton, and Josiah made a good deal of money by it, being prepared, however, to clear out of the neighbourhood at the first symptom of the policehaving caught scent of the affair. 

Ready money was waning and business growing slack when the Weston boyscame back from the Christmas holidays, and Josiah, who knew that some ofthem frequented his father's yard, saw a fine opportunity of augmentinghis gains by setting his little ball rolling in the daytime for theirespecial benefit. The scheme was nearly stifled by its own success; onthe very first occasion a boy won four pounds, and could not conceal thetriumphant fact from two or three intimate friends, who each whisperedit to two or three others, and the consequence was that on the nextSaturday afternoon no fewer than thirty Westonians came to Slam's yardseeking admittance. This alarmed old Slam, who saw a speedy prospect ofdiscovery, and of that hold upon him which the authorities had long beenseeking, being afforded them, to the consequent break up of hisestablishment. Better small safe profits which should last, he thought, than a haul, which after all must be limited to the amount of theschool-boys' pocket-money, and be shared with his son, and the stoppageof all his little sources of profit. Not to mention the prospect oflegal punishment. So the thirty had to go away again grumbling, withtheir money in their pockets. _O fortunati, si sua bona norint_. 

But small parties of the initiated were still admitted, amongst them, ofcourse, Saurin and his shadow, Edwards. The latter, who, as was said ina former chapter, had a peculiar fondness for games of chance, waspositively infatuated with this device of young Slam's. It interferedwith his studies by day, and he dreamed of it by night, so much did itengross his thoughts. He was never easy unless staking his shillings onthat table, and watching eagerly whether the little ball would drop intoa red hole or a black one. Saurin did not take half the interest in itat first, the principal attraction for him lying in the illegality, andthe tampering with what he had heard and read of as having been the ruinof so many thousands. And he thought what fools they must be. Therewere many ways in which he could well imagine anyone spending his lastpenny, but not over a toy like this. But one day he came away a winnerof a couple of sovereigns, and there was something in seeing theshillings and half-crowns gathering into a pile before him which causedhim to catch the sordid fever with which his friend was infected. Hitherto he had made his stakes carelessly, but now he took a deeperinterest in the thing. Sometimes he had won a few shillings and Edwardshad lost, and at other times it went the other way, but the winner'sgains were never so great as the loser's losses, and it was evident thatthe difference must remain with the conductor of the game, Josiah Slam. 

"Why, we have been practically playing against each other for thatrogue's benefit!" exclaimed Saurin, when he made this discovery. "Infuture we must always stake our money the same way. " And this they did. 

Then Saurin had another bright idea. It was an even chance each timewhether red or black won, just the same as heads or tails in tossing, soit could not go on very long being one or the other in succession. Then, supposing they staked on red, and it turned up black severaltimes, they had only to persevere with red and increase the stake andthey must win their losses back, while if it was red several times theywould have a clear gain. 

This appeared to Edwards as a stroke of genius, and he was in a state offever till they had an opportunity of putting it in practice. And itanswered at first; but presently one colour, the wrong one, won so manytimes running that all their united capital went into Josiah's bank. 

They looked at one another in blank dismay; there was an end to theirspeculations for the rest of that term, and by the next Mr Slam juniorwould have decamped from the paternal abode, for when the racing seasoncommenced he flew at far higher game than the purses of rustics andschool-boys. 

"Can't come no more, can't yer?" said Josiah. "I'm sorry for that, though I expect I should be a loser, for you play well and knows a thingor two, you do. But it's the sport I care for more than the money, andI should have liked yer to have another chance. I know what I did oncewhen I were in that fix; I just took and pawned my watch, and with themoney I got on it I won back all I'd lost and more on the back of it, ina brace of shakes, and then took the ticker out again all comfortable. "

"But there is no pawnbroker near here. "

"No, in course not, and such a thing might not suit gents like youneither. Not but lords and markisses does it often; and if ever youreally did want a pound or two very bad, for a short time, there's myfather, as goes over to Cornchester perpetually, would pop anythinglight and small for yer, and bring yer back the money and ticket safeenough. "

The hint took; old Slam was intrusted with Edwards' watch that evening, and shortly afterwards with Saurin's; and later on with all the pins andrings they possessed, though these were not worth much. 

This may all sound accountable in Edwards, who was so weak and soft; butSaurin, though vicious, was no fool, and such excessively absurd conductmay appear to you inconsistent with his character. But that is becauseyou do not know the rapidly enervating and at the same time fascinatingmastery which gambling has on the mind of one who gives way to it. Itis a sort of demoniacal possession; the kind-hearted, amiable manbecomes hard and selfish, the generous man mean and grasping, thestrong-minded superstitious under its influence. It may seem strange toenact laws to prevent people from risking their own money if theychoose, but every civilised government has found it absolutely necessaryto do so. For the losing gamester always thinks that with a little moremoney to risk he would certainly win all back again, and the thoughtmaddens him so that he will not even shrink from crime to obtain it. 

One day when the pair were penniless, and had no more means of raisingmoney, young Slam generously offered them a loan, only requiring them tosign a paper acknowledging the transaction. To prevent their feelingthemselves placed under an obligation he delicately allowed them to signfor more than they had received a proposition which Saurin acceded towith alacrity. Edwards, though he also signed, did so with hesitation, and expressed fears about the safety of the transaction afterwards. 

"Pooh!" said Saurin, "the I O U is mere waste paper; we are both underage, and can snap our fingers at him if he demands payment. Besides, wewill pay him back the first time we win enough. "

"But supposing we don't win enough? we have been very unlucky lately, "objected Edwards. 

"All the more reason why luck should change, " replied Saurin. "Butsuppose it does not, all the money will have gone into the fellow'spocket, so we shall have repaid him in reality, don't you see?"

Edwards didn't quite. If you borrow a shilling of any one to gamblewith, and lose the stake and pay him with the shilling you have borrowedfrom him, he does not exactly get what is due to him. However, Edwardsmade no reply; no doubt Saurin knew best. 

Crawley lost a little of the estimation in which he had been held thatterm. It was extremely mean of Gould to gossip about his guest'sdiscomfitures at Nugget Towers, but the temptation to glorify himself atthe other's expense was too strong. He had plenty of pocket-moneyalways, and rich men or rich boys are sure to have some one to listen tothem with a certain amount of deference, and if Gould was not popularexactly, his hampers were. 

"I had Crawley to stay with me at Christmas, you know, " he said. "He'sa good fellow; pity he's so awfully poor. He had never been in a decenthouse before, and was awfully astonished. He had what they call `thekeeper's gun, ' a ten-pound thing; our head-keeper twigged it. Good gunenough, I daresay, but not what a gentleman has for himself. But hecould not use it; worst shot I ever met, by Jove! I showed him a thingor two, and he began to improve by my hints. He is not above takinghints, I will say that for him; and his riding! Why, I thought fromthose prints in his room that he was ever such a swell; but I don'tbelieve he was ever outside a horse before. Even the ploughmen laughedat him. `Get inside and pull up the windows!' they called out. "

And so he went on, somewhat exaggerating all Crawley's failures, not somuch out of any ill-will as for self-glorification. You may know thepastime of boring a hole through a chestnut, threading it on a string, and fighting it against other chestnuts: if you hit on a very toughchestnut, and with it broke another one, it is, or used to be the rulethat your chestnut counted all the victories of the one it split inaddition to its own, of which a careful account was kept. So that if achestnut was a fiver, and it beat a tenner, it became at one leap afifteener. In something the same way Gould had an idea he might scoreby Crawley, who was thought so much of for his proficiency in manythings. If he himself was so much richer, such a better rider and shot, it ought to be assumed that if he took the trouble he could also beathim at cricket, football, mathematics, German, and freehand drawing. Itwas not very logical, and indeed he did not put the matter to himself sonakedly as that, but that was the sort of idea which influenced himnevertheless. 

At the same time I fear that there may have been a little spite in hisfeelings too; he had been a good deal snubbed by his sister Clarissa forintroducing a friend who had gone far to spoil her triumph in the playshe had got up with such pains and forethought, and he much regrettedhaving ever asked him. Gould's bragging would not have been muchbelieved, only Crawley confirmed it. "Yes, " he said, "I went to staywith Gould's people; very kind of them to ask me. They live in grandstyle; I thought I had got to Windsor Castle by mistake at first. Ishould have enjoyed it immensely if they had not made me act in privatetheatricals, which I hate, and I am afraid I came to utter grief overit. Took me out snipe-shooting; did you ever shoot at a snipe? bad birdto hit; Gould got some. I suppose one would pick up the knack of it intime. And, yes, we went out with the harriers; I had never sat a horsewhen he jumped anything before, and I came a couple of croppers. But itwas great fun, and I did not hurt myself. Gould did not get a fall, ohno; he is used to it. "

A good many were rather disgusted with Gould when he talked in the wayhe did, and Buller let him see it. "It's awfully bad form to ask afellow to your house, and then boast that he can't do things that henever tried before, so well as you can, " he blurted out. 

"Oh, of course, we and know that Crawley is perfect in _your_ eyes, "sneered Gould. 

"That's rot, " said Buller elegantly; "but I do know this, that you mighthave practised anything you know, shooting, riding, anything, all yourlife, and if Crawley had a week's practice he would beat your head offat it; come, then, I'll bet you what you like. "

"That is impossible to prove. "

"No matter, it does not need proof; every fellow with eyes in his headmust see it. But that's nothing. If you were ever so much better itwould be just as mean to brag about it. "

Crawley had no idea that Gould bore him any grudge, and being gratefulto him for his invitation, sought to give him those opportunities ofintimacy which he had evidently coveted before. But it was Gould nowwho drew back, somewhat to the other's relief, for he could not bringhimself to care much about him. 

Well, all this foolish talk of Gould's did have a certain effect: a goodmany boys lost some faith in their idol, and began to suspect that itsfeet might be of clay. And then Crawley took to reading very hard thatterm, for his time for trying to get into Woolwich was approaching, andhe was very anxious not to fail; and this made him less sociable, whichaffected his popularity. It did not interfere with his sports; he wasas energetic at football as ever, and took his usual pains to make theboys pay up their subscriptions, for he was secretary and treasurer. But that was not exactly a genial duty, though everybody was glad thatsomebody else would take the trouble. And for the rest, he was nowalways working hard or playing hard. 

"Hulloa, Edwards!" he said one day about the middle of term, "you havebeen very lazy about your football lately; you promised to be good atit, you know. It's a pity to give it up. "

"But I have not, " said Edwards. "I am going in for it again now. " Andhe meant it; for the last penny of the loan had vanished, and he feltthe need of excitement and action of some kind. 

"That's right, old fellow, " said Crawley. "Of course you play for yourhouse against ours in the match. "

"I believe so. "

"Come and have a game this afternoon, " said Crawley, turning back afterthey had parted; for the pallid and careworn face of the other struckhim, and he thought very likely a little exercise and bustle was justwhat he wanted, but that he felt listless, as one does sometimes, whenone is glad afterwards if some one else will save us the trouble ofmaking up our minds, and start us. 

"No, thanks, " replied Edwards, "I can't come to-day, I have somethingelse I must do. But I shall practise regularly after to-day. " And hewent on his way to meet Saurin, and go with him to Slam's yard. 

For a crisis had arrived in their affairs which assumed a most seriousaspect. It was no longer a question of obtaining the means ofcontinuing their gambling; they had awakened from that dream, and sawwhat dupes they had been. And indeed the Slams, father and son, foundthat their little game was being talked about in the neighbourhood toofreely for safety, and had abruptly discontinued it. Josiah, indeed, was about to take his departure altogether, and in announcing thatintention to Saurin and Edwards, demanded immediate payment of the moneyhe had advanced them, in consideration of which they had jointly signedan acknowledgment for five pounds. They had, indeed, kept away from theyard when their money was all gone, but Josiah Slam was not to be balkedin that manner. He went over to Weston, and accosted Saurin in thestreet. 

"I cannot pay you just now; don't speak to me here, we shall be seen, "said Saurin. 

"What do I care for that?" replied Josiah. "If you don't come to meI'll come to you. "

"I will come to the yard to-morrow afternoon, only do go away now, "urged Saurin. 

"You had better, " said the man significantly. And so Saurin and Edwardswere now on their way to the yard. 

"Well, gents, have you got the money?" asked Josiah Slam, who admittedthem. "I hope so, for I wants to be off, and I'm only a-waiting forthat. "

"No, " replied Saurin, "we have not got it; it is not likely. We did notsign that paper until we had lost everything to you, and we shall nothave any more till after Easter. Perhaps we may pay you then, though Idon't consider we owe you anything really. You have won it all back, and a lot more besides. "

"What's that to do with it?" cried young Slam. "You had as good achance of winning of me, hadn't yer?"

"No, of course not, " replied Saurin. "I am not certain that we had anychance at all. "

"What d'yer mean? yer--"

"Oh, don't bluster and try to bully, " said Saurin. "I'm not afraid ofyou. "

"Oh, you're not, ain't yer, my game chicken? but I have got your I O U. "

"Much good may it do you! Why, we are under age, and it's of no valueat all. "

"And you call yerself a gentleman! Yah! But I'm not so green as yerthink, my boy. Of course I knowed it warn't a legal dokiment. But it'sproof enough for me. If you don't pay I shall take it to yer master, and see if he won't pay it for yer. "

"Don't be a fool; you know very well he would not. "

"No, I don't; at any rate I shall try it on. "

"It would do you no good, I tell you. "

"If not, it would do you two chaps harm, I know; why, you would get itpretty hot if yer master knowed yer had come here at all; and if hefound you'd been playing cards on a Sunday, and roulette, and pawningyer watches and things, I'll bet a hundred it wouldn't make it better. Gents like you can allus get money somehow; write to yer friends; it'sonly two pun ten apiece, and they won't stick at that to get you out ofsuch a shindy as this will be. This here's Thursday and I'm bound to goon Monday. If you don't bring them five pounds by then, I'll go to yourmaster with that 'ere I O U in my hand on Monday morning as sure as Istand here. So now you know. "

And with this ultimatum the rascal dismissed them. They walked slowlyalong the lane leading to Weston with hearts as heavy as could be, forindeed they were at their wits' end. If this fellow fulfilled histhreat, and they had no doubt he would, it most certainly would resultin expulsion for them both. To write home for more money was out of thequestion, for each had exhausted every conceivable excuse for doing soalready, and any further application would only bring a letter to DrJolliffe asking the reason for all this extravagance, instead of cash, and so precipitate the calamity rather than ward it off. A lessshameful peccadillo might have been confessed, but this low-livedgambling, this association with a fellow like Josiah Slam, how could itbe spoken of? Impossible! Well, but what was to be done? Anything, anything to stave off the immediate peril; but what? That thoughthaunted each of them all day and during a sleepless night, and when theymet on the following morning each looked at the other to see if he coulddetect any gleam of hope in his face. 

"Look here, " said Saurin, "there is just a chance, not a good one, butstill a chance. That fellow Gould always has heaps of money, and fromall these stories of Crawley's visit to him at Christmas his people mustbe very rich. Now he is not a generous fellow, but he likes to showoff. And if we went to him and told him all about it, and that we weredead certain to be expelled if we could not raise five pounds, do younot think he might lend it us till after Easter?"

"I am afraid he won't, " replied Edwards, "but it is worth trying. "

"You see, it would be something for him to brag about afterwards, "continued Saurin. "It would make him look important and influentialthat he had got two fellows out of such a row, and was the only one inthe school who could do it. "

"It is worth trying at any rate, " said Edwards. "Ask him thisafternoon. "

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

A CRIME. 

Once every term the cricket and football committees assembled totransact business. They learned what funds were in hand, whatsubscriptions had been paid and what were in arrear, also theexpenditure for balls, nets, goals, stumps, rolling the ground, and allother items. After which, rules were discussed, and arrangements forfuture matches made. It was part of the principle of the school thatthe boys should manage all these things for themselves, as it wasconsidered that to learn practically how to set such matters going andkeep them in order was quite as educational as to acquire the right useof the subjunctive. All that the authorities had to do with thearrangement was that when the day and hour for a committee meeting wasfixed, the master in whose house the secretary was, gave leave for hispupil-room to be used for the occasion; and it was also customary to askone of them to audit the accounts. These assemblages were of a twofoldcharacter: during the first part, when the accounts were read out, andwhat had been done gone over, any boy who liked might attend and askquestions. But when arrangements for the future were discussed, theroom was cleared of all but the committee. Experience had brought thatabout; for when outsiders had been allowed to remain, the number andvariety of absurd and futile suggestions which were made, prevented anyconclusion being come to at all. 

Since Crawley was the secretary and treasurer of both the cricket andfootball clubs there was only one general meeting, at which the accountsof both were taken together, instead of two in the term, as when thoseoffices were vested in different individuals. Crawley had found theseburdens rather onerous this term; with that stiff examination loomingnearer and nearer every month he began to feel serious, for he had sethis heart upon getting into the artillery if he could, and he was goingat his subjects in downright earnest, with no shirking or trifling whenthe humour was not on him. So that the time it took him to preparethese accounts, and still worse, to collect the subscriptions, he didrather grudge. But he never dreamed of resigning on that account; hehad undertaken these duties, and would go on with them withoutgrumbling. Perhaps he had the feeling which energetic folk who areaccustomed to other people leaning on them are naturally apt to acquire, that things would get into a muddle without him. However he had got inthe subscriptions, docketed his papers, and prepared everything for themeeting that evening, and the last finishing stroke being put, he lockedall up in the japanned box which he kept in his room, with "WestonCricket Club" neatly painted on it in white letters, changed his clothesfor flannels, and ran out to the football field. 

He had not been gone a quarter of an hour before Saurin and Edwardsapproached the house on their visit to Gould, who was also an inmate ofDr Jolliffe's. They had chosen that time in order to find him alone, for he had had a slight sprain of the ankle--not enough to lay him upaltogether, but sufficient to prevent his playing at football; and as hewas rather glad than otherwise of an excuse to sit in with a novel, thechances were that he was now so occupied. It was a fine March day, witha bright sun and a cold east wind--not high enough to be unpleasantthough, unless you dawdled about. When they came to the side-door whichled to the boys' part of the house, which was a separate block ofbuildings from the doctor's residence, though joined to andcommunicating with it, Saurin stopped and said: "I think perhaps you hadbetter wait here for me; I shall get on better with him alone. "

"All right!" replied Edwards with a feeling of relief, for he dreadedthe interview with Gould beyond measure. It is nervous work to askanyone to lend you money, unless you are quite hardened. Saurin feltthat too; it was a bitter pill for his pride to swallow, with theprospect on one side of a refusal and on the other of being subjected toinsolent airs of superiority, for Gould was not the fellow to grant afavour graciously. But he had a stronger will than Edwards, and thesituation made extreme measures necessary. 

He entered the passage alone, then, and mounted the staircase, notmeeting anyone. Dead stillness pervaded the house except for the trillsof a canary at the far end of the second landing. Crawley's door wasopen as he passed, and he saw his clothes strewn about over a couple ofchairs and the japanned box standing in a corner by his bureau. Saurinpassed on, the song of the canary growing louder as he advanced, andknocked at Gould's door; there was no response. "Gould!" he cried, "Gould! are you in?" As there was still no answer he turned the handleand looked in; there was the canary hanging in the window, through whichthe sun poured, and his shrill notes went through his head; but noGould. "Plague take it!" muttered Saurin; "it is all to do now anothertime, and I cannot get this suspense over. I wonder where the fellowhas gone to!"

He closed the door again and retraced his steps slowly. When herepassed Crawley's room he stopped and listened. Not a sound except thebird's song. His heart beat so quickly that it was like to choke him, and he grew quite giddy. "Crawley!" he said in an unsteady voice, forthough he saw the room was empty he had an insane fancy that he might bethere, invisible, or that this mist before his eyes might prevent hisseeing him. Then he mastered his apprehensions with an effort, andstepped into the room. Going to a chair, he felt the coat which hungover the back; there were keys in the pocket. Then he listened again;not a sound, for the singing of the canary had stopped. Ten minuteslater Saurin went down-stairs quietly, stealthily. He found Edwardswaiting for him outside, took him by the arm, and led him away. 

"Have you seen anyone?" he asked eagerly, but in a voice which he couldnot keep from trembling. 

"Not a soul, " replied Edwards. 

"Then, come a long to my tutor's--quick! get your flannels on; and wewill go into the football field. We are late, but can get in on oneside or another. "

"But, have you succeeded? Will Gould lend the money?"

"No, he won't; and I would not have fellows know I asked him for worlds;so I am glad no one saw us. "

Saurin was as white as a sheet, he trembled all over, and there was alook in his eyes as of a hunted animal. That one in whose courage, presence of mind, and resources he trusted so entirely should beaffected to such a degree as this, appalled poor Edwards; what a blackgulf, indeed, must yawn before them!

"Is there no chance at all, then?" he asked in piteous accents. 

"Yes, it will be all right; I--I have thought of something else, "stammered Saurin. "Don't mind me--I'm knocked over by asking a favourand being refused; that's all. I shall be all right directly. Onlyswear you will never say a word to anyone about it. I tell you I havethought of a way to silence that villain Slam, and I will go and see himthe first chance. It will be all right if you only hold your tongue. And now look sharp and let us change and go and play football; there'slots of time. "

They had reached their own rooms by this, and Edwards did what Saurintold him, wondering, but partly reassured; and in a few minutes theywere on their way to the football field, where they were hailed by theirown house and paired off on different sides. 

Saurin had sulkily retired from all the school sports for some time, andthe boys wondered at the energy with which he now rushed into the game. The fact was he felt the necessity for violent exertion to escapereflection and drown thought in fatigue. He could not do it, but hesucceeded in regaining the mastery over his nerves, his looks, hisspeech. As for Edwards, he played more listlessly than usual; and thethought occurred to several that afternoon that if Saurin would onlytake up regular practice again he would be a greater source of strengthto the house team than Edwards. And they wanted to be as strong aspossible, for the match with the doctor's house was approaching, andthey feared that they were a little overmatched. 

That evening a good many boys were assembled in Dr Jolliffe's pupil-room to hear the reports concerning the cricket and football clubs, which were really one, as the same subscribers belonged to both, and itwas only for clearness and to avoid confusion of accounts that they weretreated separately; besides that, one boy could not always be found toundertake, like Crawley, the management of both. There were thecommittees, and besides them a sprinkling of the curious, who did notcare to listen to the debit and credit accounts, but had the Anglo-Saxoninstinct for attending public meetings of any kind, so that the room, though not half full, contained a respectable audience, when Crawleywith his japanned box in his hand entered, and went to the placereserved for him at the head of the table. 

"I have not a long story to tell you, " he said, producing his keys andinserting one in the lock of the box. "Fellows have paid up prettywell, and we are rather in funds. The principal expense has been a newroller which we were obliged to have, the old one being quite worn out, and besides, as many of you have often observed, not heavy enough. Indeed the committee have been blamed rather severely by enthusiasticcricketers on this score, as if they had taken weight out of the roller, or could put extra weight into it; and I have sometimes thought that ifthe critics would have sat on the roller instead of on us, it would havebeen more effective. " Laughter; for a little joke goes a long way onthese solemn occasions. "Mr Rabbits has kindly audited our accounts, which are satisfactory, I believe; here they are, if any one likes tolook at them. We do not owe anything, and there are two pounds in handfor the football, and seven pounds twelve shillings for the cricketaccounts, which I have here. Hulloa! what is this?" and Crawley changedcountenance as he opened a _portmonnaie_ which he took out of the box, and drew from it a five-pound note. "I have been robbed!" he cried. "There were four half-sovereigns, two sovereigns, and twelve shillingsin silver, besides this bank-note in the purse this morning, and nowthere is only the five-pound note here!"

The consternation caused by this announcement was so great that forquite a quarter of a minute there was a dead silence, and thenejaculations, suggestions, questions, began to pour. 

"Perhaps it is loose in the box, " said some one, and the papers wereimmediately all taken out, and the box turned upside down to prove thefutility of that perhaps. 

"Well, never mind; of course I am responsible, " said Crawley presently, recovering himself. "I was taken by surprise, or I should not have madeall this fuss. The money will not be wanted till the cricketing seasonbegins next term, and I can make it good by then. "

Outsiders then took their departure, leaving the committee to anydeliberations that might remain, and carrying the news of the robberyfar and wide, so that it became the principal topic of conversationthroughout the school that evening. Of course it lost nothing in thetelling, and some received the information that Crawley's room had beenregularly cleared out that day, all his books, clothes, and picturestaken, besides five pounds of his own and twenty of the public money. 

The committee had not much business to transact. The day for the matchat football between Dr Jolliffe's and Mr Cookson's houses was settled, a suggestion that some new turf should be laid down on a part of thecricket-field where the grass had been worn past recovery was agreed to, and the members who did not board at Dr Jolliffe's were back at theirown houses before "All In. "

But the excitement about the loss of this money was naturally greater inthe house where it had taken place than anywhere else, and as the boystalked about it at supper the servants heard of it. It was evident thatthough no accusation might be made, suspicion would be very likely tofall upon them, and as they were anxious to have the matter sifted, thebutler was deputed to report the whole affair to the doctor. So whenprayers were over Dr Jolliffe told all present to remain where theywere, and then calling up Crawley, he asked him whether the account hehad heard was correct. 

"I did not mean to report it, sir, " said Crawley, "but it is true thatfour pounds in gold and twelve shillings in silver were taken from thetin box belonging to the cricket and football club this afternoon. "

"When did you last see this money?"

"At about a quarter to three, sir. As it was a half-holiday I thought Iwould get all my papers ready against the cricket and football meetingthis evening. I set to work at that at a little after two; it did nottake me very long, as they were all ready before, and only wantedarranging, and a little memorandum written out of what I wanted to say, for fear I should forget anything. When I had done I counted out themoney in hand, and put it in a purse which I have always used for thesubscriptions; there was the sum I have mentioned and a five-pound note. I put the purse back in the box, locked it, placed the keys in my coat-pocket, changed my clothes, and went out to play at football. I heardthe clock strike three just after I had begun to play. "

"And when did you miss the money. "

"At the meeting, when I opened the box. "

"You had not done so again till then after locking it up, when you wentout?"

"No, sir. "

"You are sure?"

"Positive, sir. "

"And the five-pound note was not taken?"

"No, sir; that was left. "

"Was it in the same compartment of the purse as the gold and silver?"

"No, sir; but it could be seen if the purse was opened, and why it wasnot taken too I cannot imagine. "

"That is not so difficult of explanation. But now I must ask you apainful question; but it is your bounden duty to answer it withoutreserve. Have you any suspicions as to who may have taken it?"

"None whatever, sir. I am almost certain that there was not a boy inthe house. I was the last to remain in. Indeed I found all but threein the football field, and I know where they were, for I saw themplaying at fives as I passed the court. At least two were playing, andthe third, who had hurt his foot, was looking on. "

"Do you mean to say, for it is necessary to be accurate, that yourecognised every boy in the house except these three in the footballfield yourself?"

"Not exactly, sir; but we have been talking the matter over, and thosewhom I did see can answer for all the rest. "

"And who were the three boys in the Fives Court?"

"I was the looker-on, sir, " said Gould, stepping forward. 

"And when did you leave?"

"When the others left off play, sir. We all returned together at tea-time. "

"That is right, sir, " said Smith and Simmonds. "We were the two playingat fives, and Gould went and returned with us. " (Of course it is notmeant that they said all this together, in chorus, as people do in aplay; but they both stood forward, and Smith was the spokesman. )

"And now, Crawley, " resumed the doctor, "are you sure that the money wasnot taken _after_ your return. You left your room again, perhaps, before the meeting?"

"Yes, I did for a short time, sir; but then I had the keys in my pocket;and the box was fairly unlocked. There are no marks of violence; andit's a Brahma, so, whoever did it, must have had the right key. "

"I am very glad that all the boys in my house seem able to prove soclear an _alibi_, " said the doctor. "That will do. "

When they had all dispersed Dr Jolliffe made inquiries amongst theservants. The fat cook indignantly demanded that her boxes should besearched; but one coin of the realm is so like another that there didnot appear to be much object in that, beyond the pleasure of inspectinga very smart bonnet in reserve for Easter, and other articles ofapparel. The maids who waited on the boys were very much cut up aboutit. They never went near the rooms after they had once cleaned them upin the morning till supper-time, when they turned down the beds (whichwere set on end, and shut up to look like cupboards during the day), andfilled the jugs and cans with fresh water, etcetera. But it wasimpossible for them to prove their absence during those two hours--fromthree to five--so clearly as the boys could, though they could testifyto one another's not having been away for many minutes at a time. Itwas extremely unpleasant for them, and for the butler and another man-servant in a less degree also, for, though they had no business to gointo the boys' part of the house, it was possible that they might havegone there without having any business. 

But there was no reason to conclude that anyone residing in the house atall was the guilty party; any person could walk in from the street atany hour. Itinerants often passed through the place with mice, squirrels, and other things, which they tried to sell to the boys, andone of these might have slipped up-stairs. But, no; a man like thatwould not have known that there was likely to be money in thatparticular box; it certainly looked more like the action of someone whohad good information. 

Such were the speculations and reasonings which were rife in Weston forthe next few days; and then the topic began to grow stale, for no onehad been seen hanging about the house that afternoon, and there was nosatisfactory peg upon which to hang conjecture. One hard fact remained;poor Crawley was answerable for four pounds twelve shillings which hadbeen stolen from him, and this came at a time when he was particularlyanxious to spend as little money as possible. He did not make much fussabout it, and only to Buller, his friendship with whom grew stronger themore they knew of one another, did he speak his mind. 

"My poor mother!" he said during a Sunday walk the day after therobbery; "I shall have to ask her for the money, and it is precious hardupon her. I have been abominably extravagant, and she is not rich, andthere are a lot of us. I owe a good bit to Tiffin, and to my Londontailor too, but he will wait any time. Tiffin duns me, hang him! thoughwhy he should be devoted to capital punishment for asking for his due Idon't know either. I should not have had such a lot of patties, fruit, ices, and stuff. He will have to be paid at latest when I leave; and atthat time, if I get into Woolwich, there will be my outfit. And then Imust needs buy a gun and a license for just three days' shooting withGould last Christmas; and tipping the groom and keeper was a heavy itembesides. One of my sisters is delicate, and can't walk far; and theycould keep a pony-carriage if it wasn't for me. And now, here isanother flyer I must rob my mother of, just because I left my keys in mycoat when I changed my dress--sheer carelessness!"

"Never mind; you will get into Woolwich next examination, and then youwill soon get a commission, and draw pay, and not want so much from yourmother. "

"Yes, I think of that, and it is some consolation; but still it is inthe future, don't you see, and I must ask her for this stolen money atonce. By Jove! I wish I had come back unexpectedly for something, andcaught the fellow taking it! I wonder who on earth it can be!"

"I have no idea. Not Polly the maid, I'll take my Davey; I have sooften left money and things about, and never lost a halfpenny. "

That same Sunday Saurin and Edwards were standing with two or threeothers in the quadrangle, when Gould limped by. 

"How is your ankle getting on, Gould?" one of the group called out. 

"Better, thanks, " he replied, joining them. "I say, if it had kept mein yesterday afternoon Crawley might have thought I took the money!What a joke, eh? Fancy my wanting a paltry four pounds odd. "

"You were not in?" cried Edwards; and he could have bitten his tongueout immediately afterwards. 

But the surprise was too great for his prudence. He and Saurin had goneto their own tutor's house before repairing to the football field, youmay remember, and that route did not pass the Fives Court. So that itwas the first intimation Edwards had that Saurin lied when he said hehad asked Gould for a loan, and been refused. 

"No, " said Gould, looking at him in surprise; "what made you think Iwas?"

"Only your sprain, " said Edwards, recovering himself. "Some fellowswere saying that if you were in, the thief must have trod very lightlyfor you not to have heard him, as your room is so near. But as you wereout, and all the other fellows too, he had the coast clear, you know. "

"What is your idea about the whole thing, Saurin?" asked Gould; "you area sharp chap. "

"Oh, I don't know, " said Saurin. "I should not be very much surprisedif the money turned up, and there proved to have been no robbery atall. "

"What on earth do you mean?"

"The chances are I am wrong, no doubt, but it is possible. Crawley is avery careless fellow, you know, about money matters. "

"But how could he have made a mistake, when he counted out the moneysuch a short time before?" asked one of the group. "I was present atthe meeting, and you should have seen his surprise when he took up thepurse. "

"Oh, I dare say it is all as you think, " said Saurin. "I only know thatif I had charge of money I should always be in a muddle. I never knowanything about my own, and it is little enough to calculate; if I had tokeep it separate from that of other people I should always be botheredbetween the two. But no doubt Crawley is better at business than I am. "

"I say; he is awfully poor, Crawley is, and tries to make a show as ifhe were rich, " said Gould. "I know he has been dunned by old Tiffinlately, and it is quite possible he may have paid him out of the clubmoney and got confused, eh? Of course, what I say is strictly betweenourselves. "

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

AN ACCIDENT. 

"It is no business of mine, " said Saurin, turning on his heel. "But ifany fellow likes to get up a subscription to make good Crawley's loss, real or imaginary, I'll subscribe. " And he sauntered off, whistlingcarelessly. 

Edwards had already detached himself from the group, feeling that hemust be alone to think upon the tremendous and horrible revelation whichhad just dawned upon his mind. As Saurin passed him he hissed in hisear the one word "Fool!" And there was such an evil look of mingledrage and fear on his face as the human countenance is seldom deformedby. 

But Edwards met it without quailing, and there was nothing but aversionin the glance he gave him back. The scales had fallen from his eyes, and his infatuation was dissipated. Never again was he to listengreedily to Saurin's words, and think them wiser than any others. Nevermore would he admire and applaud him; build castles in the air, formingwild projects for the future, in his company, or associate willinglywith him. They exchanged no other word, and Saurin went his way, strolling in a leisurely manner till he was out of sight; and thenquickening his pace he took the direction of Slam's yard. At the ratehe was walking he soon got there, and going round to the well-knownback-door, he knocked. It was not long before he saw an eyereconnoitring him through a crack. 

"Come, do not keep me waiting here all day while you are squintingthrough that hole!" he cried with a savage oath. "Let me in. "

Josiah Slam said apologetically that he wanted to make sure who it was, and admitted him. 

"Have you got the money, master?" he asked. 

"I have got four pounds, and that is all we can raise. It is as much aswe have had in cash, and if you will give up that memorandum for it Iwill pay it you. "

"Nonsense! it's for five pund, I tell yer, and five pund I will have. "

"No you won't; I cannot get it. So if you won't take the four, let meout. You may do your worst. "

"Come, say four ten. "

"You fool, don't you see I am in earnest!" cried Saurin, his suppressedrage bursting out. "Why, I would cut your dirty throat if--" Herestrained himself and said, "Fetch the paper if you mean to; I cannotbreathe the same air as a man who has threatened me, and I won't standbargaining here a minute longer. "

Josiah Slam knew when he had got his victim in a corner, and desperateto biting pitch; so without another word he fetched the I O U and gaveit to Saurin, who simultaneously handed him _two sovereigns and fourhalf-sovereigns_. The fellow took it with a chuckle, for he had neverhad the slightest intention of getting himself into trouble, which heassuredly would by attempting to make any use of that bit of paper. Call upon Dr Jolliffe indeed, to get a couple of school-boys, whom hehad fleeced, into a shindy! Not worth the trouble for him, indeed. Butit occurred to him that the threat might bring cash, and it had. 

"Won't yer come in and have something?"

"Let me out!"

"Well, if you must go, here you are. Good-bye, young gent, and betterluck next time. And if when yer goes racing, yer wants--" Saurin wasout of hearing. 

"Bless 'em, " continued Mr Slam, junior, "I should like to know a fewmore like them two young gents a good bit richer. Well, they are aboutsomewhere, if one could but light on 'em. "

Saurin did not return to Weston at once, but walked as fast as he couldput foot to ground along the lanes and the highroad, trying by physicalexertion to numb thought, and he partly succeeded, now and then, for ashort time, but black care soon caught him up again, and brooded overhis shoulder. 

A voice which did not seem to emanate from his own brain kept repeating, "What you have done can never be undone; never, never. Not if you liveto be a hundred; not for all eternity. " "It can, it shall, " he replied. "Only let me escape suspicion, and I will make it up over and overagain. " "That would not make what has happened, not to have happened. ""It is only one act. " "Self-deceiver, you have been growing to it foryears, your corruption has been gradual, and this is the natural result. You will go on now; each time it will come easier to you, until yougrow to think nothing of it. Read your future--outcast, jail-bird. ""No, no; I will lead a new life, work hard, avoid bad company. " "Avoidbad company! I like that! What company can be worse than your own_now_?" "I will _not_ sink deeper; no one knows. " "You forget; onedoes know, others _may_ know, _will_ know. " "I could not bear that; Iwould destroy myself and escape the shame. " "Destroy yourself indeed!I defy you; you cannot do it. You may kill yourself; it is not at allunlikely; but that is not destruction, but only the commission ofanother crime. "

This inward voice became so real to him that he thought he must bepossessed or else going mad. Suppose it were the latter, and he let thetruth out in his delirium! He determined to live by rule, to studyhard, to be conciliatory, not to draw observation on himself. And tobegin with, he must be getting back to Weston; it would never do to belate, and risk questioning. 

The first time he had an opportunity of speaking to Edwards alone hesaid, "I have seen that man as I promised, and there is nothing to fearfrom him. I have secured his silence. "

"At what a price!" sighed Edwards. 

"Look here, " murmured Saurin, turning on him fiercely; "if it is as youthink, you take advantage of it, which is just as bad. We are in thesame boat, and must sink or swim together. What is done cannot beundone; don't be a fool. If your weakness excites suspicion it will beruin to both of us. "

"I know, I know, " said Edwards, turning away with loathing. 

They hated the sight of one another now, these two inseparables. Whatrevolted Edwards most of all was the other's insinuation about Crawley. It was all of a piece with his conduct when Buller was accused of thatpoaching business, and showed his true character. Days went by and theynever spoke to one another of the shameful secret they shared, andindeed rarely on any other subject. They would have avoided allassociation if it had not been for the fear of exciting suspicion. Theywere more attentive to their studies, and at the same time took a moreprominent part in the school games than either had done for a long time:

Edwards, because it was his natural bent to do so when freed from otherinfluences; and Saurin, partly from prudence, partly because he wasmaking a struggle to escape from the net which he felt that evil habitshad thrown around him. He was like one who has been walking in a fogalong the brink of a precipice, and discovers his position by setting afoot on the very edge and nearly falling over. He shrank from the abysswhich he now saw yawning for him. At the same time he exerted himselfto become popular, and since he was no longer anxious to thrust himselfperpetually into the foremost place, he was not without success. 

"What a much better fellow Saurin is now he has given up going to thatSlam's yard!" said one of his intimates, and his hearers acquiesced. Hehad never repeated that abominable hint about the possibility ofCrawley's not having lost the money at all; but Gould had taken up theidea, and the gossip had spread, as such ill-natured talk about any onewho is popular or in a higher position than others, is sure to do. Veryfew, if any, really believed that there was a grain of truth in thenotion, but some thought it clever to talk as if they did, just to bedifferent from the majority. Others might jump to a conclusion, swallowing all that the popular idol chose to tell them, but theywithheld their judgment. Unluckily these rumours reached Crawley'sears; some friendly ass "thought he ought to know, " as is always thecase when anything unpleasant is said, and it fretted and annoyed himexceedingly. 

It also had the effect of annulling a movement which was being set onfoot to make up the missing money by subscription, the notion of whichemanated curiously enough from the same source as the scandal. Saurinhad thrown out the hint as a sneer, not a suggestion, but it was takenup by some honest lad in the latter sense. It had been submitted to themasters, who not only approved but were anxious to head thesubscription, and the whole thing could have been done at once withoutanyone feeling it. But Crawley called a special meeting, and the pupil-room was crammed to overflowing this time to hear what he had to say, which was this: "I have asked you to come for a personal and not apublic reason. I am told that it is proposed to raise a subscription tomake up the four pounds twelve the fund has been robbed of. Now, thoughI was perhaps not careful enough, I could hardly expect my keys to betaken out of a coat and the box opened during a short absence, and so Ishould have been very glad not to have to bear this loss, for which, ofcourse, I am solely responsible, alone. But some kind friends (Gould, Ibelieve, started the idea) are pleased to say that I have robbed myself;that is, I have spent the money intrusted to me and invented the storyof a robbery. " ("Oh! oh! shame! shame!") "Well, yes, I think it wasrather a shame, and I am glad you are indignant about it. But theaccusation having been once made, of course I cannot accept the kindsuggestion to make the loss good. "

There was a great hubbub and loud protestations, but Crawley was firm. His honour was at stake, he said, and he must repay the money himself;then his traducers at all events could not say that he had profited byholding the office of treasurer. Those who had indulged in idleinnuendoes were heartily ashamed and sorry, and Gould for a short timewas the most unpopular boy in the school. Crawley cut him dead. 

The day following this special meeting was Saturday, exactly one weekafter the robbery, and the day appointed for the football match betweenthe houses of Head-master and Cookson. I fear that a detailed accountof this match would hardly interest you, for this reason. The Head-master, whose scholarship and capacity worked up Weston to that state ofprosperity which it has maintained ever since, was an Etonian, and thegames instituted under his auspices were played according to Eton rules. Dr Jolliffe had also been educated at the same school, and thoughteverything connected with it almost sacred. So it happened that theRugby game of hand-and-football had never supplanted the older Englishpastime, which it has now become so much the fashion to despise, andwhich, indeed, if it were not for the Eton clubs at Oxford, Cambridge, and elsewhere, might disappear as the national rats did before theHanoverian. The Westonians then used round, not oblong footballs; theirobject was to work the ball between the goal-posts, not over a bar atthe top of them; and it was unlawful to touch it with the hands unlesscaught in the air, and then only for a drop-kick. 

I do not advocate one game more than the other; both to my thinking areexcellent, and I have no sympathy with those who would suppress everypastime which is fraught with some roughness and danger. The tendencyof civilisation is naturally towards softness, effeminacy, and a dreadof pain or discomfort; and these evils are far more serious thanbruises, sprains, broken collar-bones, or even occasionally a morecalamitous accident. 

However, the chances are that my reader is all in favour of the Rugbygame, and would therefore follow the changes and chances of the presentmatch with but little interest. It was exciting enough, however, tothose who were engaged in it, for Cookson's made a better fight of itthan their opponents expected. They had been practising with greatpains, and their team worked well together and backed each other upexcellently. So that, quite early in the match, the ball having beensome time at their end, and they acting solely on the defensive, Jolliffe's thought they were going to carry all before them and got alittle rash and careless; those who should have kept back to guard theirown end pressing too far forwards, when Edwards, who was fleet of footand really good at seizing chances, got a clear kick at the ball whichsent it over the heads of the attackers into the middle of the field, and, getting through to it again, began dribbling it towards the hostilegoal with a series of short kicks, having a start of the field, who, seeing their error, were now racing back to their own end. The goal-keeper dashed out and met Edwards in full career, both kicking the ballat the same time; but another on the Cookson side, who had been keepingclose in view of such a contingency, got a fair chance at the ball, which slipped sideways from the two, and sent it sheer between theposts, scoring a goal for Cookson's. 

The success of such a simple manoeuvre was equivalent to a "fools' mate"at chess, and was a lesson to Jolliffe's never to despise their enemy. They were not to be caught napping again, however, and, by dint ofsteady, persistent, concentrated play, they too got a goal and equalisedmatters. Then, after a considerable period, during which the advantagesfluctuated, they obtained a rooge. If, in the old game, the ball iskicked behind the goal-posts but not between them, there arises astruggle between the contending sides to touch it with the hand. If oneof the defenders, those behind whose goal the ball has passed, does sofirst, nothing has happened, and the ball is kicked off again forrenewal of the game. But should one of the opposite side so touch it, arooge is gained. The rooge is formed close in front of the defenders'goal, they being clustered in a semicircle with their backs to it, andwith a big and heavy member of the team for the central pillar, whoplants his heel firmly in the ground, the ball being placed against hisfoot. The opposite side complete the circle, leaving an opening for oneof their number to rush in and get a good kick at the ball--theyinstantly closing upon him and endeavouring to force the whole surging, struggling mass bodily back between the posts, ball and all; if theycannot make an opening they send the ball through alone--the defenders, of course, endeavouring to force the ball out sideways, and either touchit down behind their goal or get it away from their end altogether. Onegoal counts more than any number of rooges; but when no goal is made atall, or the number of them on each side is equal, the rooges decide thegame. 

Ends were changed, and after a good deal of play without resultCookson's also scored a rooge, and matters were equal again; after whichthe Jolliffe team, which was the strongest physically, kept the ballentirely in the neighbourhood of the Cookson goals. For the latter hadmade great exertions, and were tiring fast. The time fixed for leavingoff play was now approaching; and if they could only keep matters asthey were a little longer they would make a drawn match of it, whichwould be of itself a triumph, considering that their opponents, with theredoubtable Crawley at their head, were reckoned so much the stronger. 

"Come, we _must_ get one more rooge, " said the Jolliffe captain, "andweak as they are getting we ought to turn it into a goal. " And pursuinghis determination he dribbled the ball up close to the base line, sentit behind the goal-posts, and rushed forward to touch it down. Edwardsran up to it at the same time to touch it first, and a collision ensuedwhich sent him flying. Near that spot there was a tree with seats roundit, and Edwards fell heavily with his side against a corner of thiswooden settle. Crawley touched the ball down. 

"You have given us all our work to get this!" he called out to theother, laughing; and then seeing that Edwards was lying on the ground, he added, "You are not hurt, old fellow, are you? Only blown?"

But as the other was not in the position in which any one would liestill a moment to get breath, he went up to him and repeated hisquestion. 

"I don't know; I--I feel rather queer, " was the reply. 

Crawley stooped, and put his arms round his body to raise him up, butEdwards shrieked out, "Ah! don't; that hurts!"

The other players now gathered round, and many offered well-meaning butabsurd suggestions. One practical youth ran off, however, to Cookson'shouse to report what had happened, and then returned with a chair. Bythe time he got back Edwards had managed to rise, and was sitting on thesettle, very faint. They managed to transfer him to the chair, andcarried him home in it very gently, and by the time he was laid on hisbed, which had been got ready, the doctor arrived. A couple of ribswere broken, he said, after an examination which made poor Edwards groana good deal; but he did not think there was much more the matter, whichwords were a great comfort to Crawley, who began to fear that he mighthave been the cause of the boy's death. He was quite sufficiently sorryand vexed as it was, and would have liked to nurse him if he had beenallowed. 

It was just as well for his reading that they were not in the samehouse, for he spent all the hours that he was out of school, and notnecessarily in his own tutor's, by Edwards' bedside. You cannot fallwith your side against a sharp angle heavily enough to break a couple ofribs without feeling it afterwards, I can tell you, so you had betternot try, and Edwards suffered a good deal from pain and difficulty ofbreathing for a few days, and when the inflammation was got down, and hefelt more easy, he was kept back by a great depression of spirits. 

"One would say that the boy had something on his mind!" said the doctorto Mr Cookson, "but that is impossible. At his age we possess no mindsworth speaking about to have anything upon;" and so he lost the scentafter hitting it off to go on the trail of a witticism, which after allwas not very brilliant. 

Edwards was delirious one night, and astonished the housekeeper, amotherly dame who sat up with him, by his talk on the occasion. 

"Look here!" he said; and thinking he wanted drink or something she gotout of her chair and leaned over him; "let us have five shillings on theblack this time; it has gone red four times running, and that can't goon, can it?"

"Certainly not, " said Mrs Blobbs, wondering whatever the boy'sdistracted fancy was running on. "Don't do it! Don't do it!" he thencried. "I'll have nothing to say to it. Let us stand our chancerather. Not that way; not that way; no, no, that's making bad worse. Iwon't! I won't!"

That was only one night, however, the third after the accident, and hewas all right in his head next morning, only so terribly depressed. Saurin never came near him. 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

COMPOUNDING A FELONY. 

"I know what is the matter with you, " said Crawley, replacing the pieceson a backgammon board at the end of the game. 

"Do you?" replied Edwards, turning if possible a shade paler, while hisheart palpitated under his sore ribs. 

"Yes, " continued the other; "you are worrying because you cannot get onwith your reading, and the prospect of examination is gettinguncomfortably distinct. I hear from Mr Cookson that you have beenmugging lately, just as I have. Well, you will not lose much time, andyou will find yourself all the clearer for lying fallow a little. Andlook here, I am a little more forward than you, and if you will come andstay with us in the holidays I will read with you; I think I could helpyou a bit. My mother would be very glad to see you. Or if that can'tbe, I'll come to you. I am sure we could more than make up for any losttime. "

Edwards was able to sit up now, and Crawley read amusing books, andplayed games with him whenever he could leave school or pupil-room. 

"What a kind chap you are!" said Edwards with a broken voice, and withwater in his eyes, for he was very weak and nervous; "I--I don't deserveit. "

"Not?" exclaimed Crawley. "Why, surely I ought to do what I can, whenit is my fault that you got hurt. I am most unlucky this term; I getrobbed, and am suspected of inventing the story of it to cover mymisappropriation of the money; and then I wind up with breaking afellow's ribs!"

"No one thinks for a moment that you were not robbed as you say; I amcertain of it!" cried Edwards. 

"I don't know about that; some of them said they did, and I would giveanything to prove that they did me wrong. It will stick in my gizzard along time, I can tell you. "

Edwards buried his face in his hands and fairly sobbed. 

"I can bear it no longer, " he cried at last. "You so kind to me andall! I know who robbed you. "

"You!" exclaimed Crawley, thinking the boy had gone delirious again. 

"Yes, I, " repeated Edwards. "I did not see it done, and he never toldme he had done it, but I know he did, and--and, I profited by the moneyand never said anything. "

"Come, come, Edwards, you are ill and weak, and exciting yourself toomuch. We will talk about this another time. "

"No, no, now; I must speak; it is killing me. "

And then he rapidly told the whole story; how Saurin and he had gambledand lost, and the peril they had brought themselves into; and how Saurinhad gone that fatal Saturday afternoon to try and borrow money ofGould--all he knew, in short. 

"Saurin!" said Crawley, when he had heard all. "I never thought verymuch of him, but I had no idea he was so bad as that. But don't youfret, Edwards; you were put in a very queer position, and nobody couldsay what he would do if he suddenly found it his duty to denounce anintimate friend for a crime which was committed to get out of a scrapein which he himself was implicated. It would be an awful hole to be in!How far have you told me all this in confidence?"

"I leave that quite to you. I do not ask to be spared myself, but ifyou could be cleared and satisfied without Saurin being publicly triedand sent to prison, I should be very grateful. "

"All right! I think I can manage that. And now, don't you botheryourself; you shall not get into any row, that I promise. "

"Oh, Crawley, what a good fellow you are!" cried Edwards. "I wish I hadgot killed, instead of only breaking a couple of ribs!"

"And let me in for being tried for manslaughter!" exclaimed Crawley, laughing. "Thank you for nothing, my boy. "

Crawley made up his mind that night what he would do. The next morninghe asked Robarts, Buller, and Smith, _alias_ "Old Algebra, " to come tohis room when they came out of school at twelve. Then he made the samerequest of Gould, who looked surprised and flustered. 

"You will condescend to speak to me at last, then?" he said, sulkily. 

"I could not suppose that you wished to hold any communication with adefaulter, " replied Crawley, "and I am sure I could not trust myself inthe company of any fellow who thought me one. I ask you to come to myroom now because I have discovered who took the money, and I want toclear myself in your eyes. "

"All right! I will come if you wish it. "

"Thank you very much. "

Having thus arranged for his court of inquiry, the next thing was tosecure the attendance of the accused. He found Saurin talking to a knotof boys, and asked if he could speak to him privately for a moment. 

"Well, what is up?" Saurin asked. "You look as grave as a mute at afuneral. "

"Yes, " said Crawley, "what I have to say is rather grave. It is aboutthat four pounds twelve shillings you took out of my box. "

"It's a lie!" cried Saurin, turning pale as death. 

"And yet the evidence against you is very clear, " said Crawley quietly. "Do you know a man named Josiah Slam, a son of the fellow who lives nearhere? Come, I do not wish to prosecute you, unless you force me; I wantto give you a chance. Robarts, Buller, Smith, and Gould are coming tomy room at twelve o'clock to-day, and I mean to take their advice as towhat should be done if you will come there too, and meet them. "

"And if I refuse?" said Saurin. 

"In that case I shall go to Dr Jolliffe, and put the matter in _his_hands, " replied Crawley. 

"Well, I do not mind coming to hear what cock-and-bull story you havetrumped up, " muttered Saurin, turning away. He feared lest an unguardedword should betray him. 

His anxiety was terrible. What did Crawley know? What was mereconjecture? Of course Edwards had put him on the track; but had he doneso distinctly, or had this suspicion been aroused by his wandering talkwhen delirious? Everything might depend on his exercising calm judgmentjust now, but his head was in a whirl and he could not collect his wits. Should he make a bolt? Oh, no! that would be confessing himselfguilty. Should he defy Crawley? That would bring about a trial, inwhich he might be found guilty. It seemed safest to go to Crawley'sroom at twelve and hear what he had to say. 

So he went. Robarts and Gould sat on the two chairs with which the roomwas supplied, Buller perched himself on the table, Smith on a box--allfull of curiosity and expectation. Crawley and Saurin remainedstanding. The door was closed and a mat placed against it, to preventany sudden entry without warning. 

"I am not going to beat about the bush, " said Crawley. "I accuse Saurinthere of having come to this house, one Saturday when we were all out;of having gone into my room, taken my keys out of the pocket of a coatlying there, opened the cricket and football japanned box, andabstracted four pounds twelve shillings from a purse inside it. Then Iassert that he put the keys back in the coat-pocket, having first lockedthe box and put it back in its place, and ran back to his tutor's house, where he changed and went out to play at football. The motive of thistheft was that he had been gambling at Slam's yard, lost all the moneyhe had or could raise; went on playing on credit, lost again, and wasthreatened with exposure unless he paid up. He had meant to borrow themoney he wanted of you, Gould, and came to the house with thatintention. But as you were not in, he got it the other way. "

"It is all a pack of lies!" cried Saurin. "At least about robbing, Imean; for it is true that I lost money playing roulette, and that Imeant to borrow of Gould, only I squared matters with the man without. "

"What day did you come to apply to me for that loan?" asked Gould. 

"I don't know exactly; it was not on a Saturday I am not sure that Icame at all, " replied Saurin, who could not for the life of him helpstammering. "It's all lies; though appearances might be got up againstme. "

"They certainly are so already, " said Crawley, "or I should not haveaccused you. Of course, if you can prove your innocence, or even if youare convinced that no one can prove your guilt, you will prefer to standa trial. Otherwise you might prefer to pay back the money and leaveWeston quietly. What do you say?" he added, turning to the others. "Would it not be best for the credit of the school?"

"Yes, yes, " said Robarts; "let us wash our dirty linen at home. "

"But how am I to leave?" asked Saurin with a groan. 

"I don't know; tell your guardian the truth if you like, you must managethat. Only, if you come back next term I shall lay the whole matterbefore the head-master. And if you leave, and the money does not come, I shall give information to the police. "

"That's fair enough, " said Buller; "take the chance, Saurin, if you arenot a fool. " And the others assented. 

Not one of them had any doubt as to Saurin's guilt: his confusion andequivocation condemned him. 

"What a cool fish you were to suggest that Crawley might have spent themoney himself!" said Gould. "You regularly humbugged me. "

"You are assuming a good deal, I think, " said Saurin bitterly; "makingyourselves accusers, juries, judges, executioners, and all. And I amvery much in your power, for if this came to a trial, though I shouldcertainly be found innocent of robbery, yet I cannot deny the gamblingand having gone to Slam's yard, and I should be expelled for that. So Isuppose I had better agree to your terms. I will not come back, and--what sum did you say you demand as the price of your silence? Fourpounds ten, or twelve, I think; you shall have it. " And turning on hisheel with an attempt at swagger which was not very successful, Saurinwent out, kicking the mat aside, and banging the door after him. 

Of course Edwards had betrayed him, he said to himself; it was not fornothing that Crawley had been constantly with him since his accident. He longed to go to Edwards' room and upbraid him with his treachery, buthe durst not trust himself. He was not out of the wood yet; the otherthree could be trusted, but Gould _must_ tattle, and if the story gotabroad and reached one of the master's ears, it would no longer be inCrawley's power to hush it up. And then Edwards almost always had someone with him; but if not, and he saw him alone, could he keep his handsoff his throat? From the throbbing of his temples when the ideaoccurred to him he thought it doubtful. No, he must not see him. 

"How on earth did you find it out?" cried the others to Crawley whenSaurin's footstep died away on the staircase. 

"I have promised not to name my witnesses unless it is necessary to callthem forward, " replied Crawley. "I am very much obliged to you forcoming here, and I feel that it is awfully bad not to take you into fullconfidence and give up names. But you see I have passed my word andcannot help myself. There's one thing I can tell you, Buller. Saurinwas the poacher for whose moonlight excursion you were taken up. "

"By Jove!" exclaimed Buller. "Well, I should have imagined that hemight have done that, but not such a dirty business as this. "

"I suppose he felt himself up a regular tree, poor beggar!" saidRobarts. 

"Well, Gould, " said Crawley, "I hope that your doubts as to my story ofhaving been robbed are set at rest. "

"I don't know that I ever had any, " replied Gould rather sullenly; "onlywhen a thing like that happens, and nothing can be found out, one putsit in every possible light. Saurin said you were a careless fellowabout money matters, and might have mixed up the club money with yourown and paid it away without knowing, and then thought you had beenrobbed. Of course one sees now why he put the idea about; but at thetime it looked just possible, and fellows discussed it, I amongst them. "

"Well, it was not pleasant for me, as you may easily understand, " saidCrawley. "However, that is all over, and we will say nothing more aboutit. And now, of course we will all keep our council about this businessfor some time. It would be breaking faith with Saurin if we let a wordescape before he has left the school; because, if the doctor heard ofit, he would insist on expelling him at any rate. "

"Yes; and we had better hold our tongues for our own sakes, " observedRobarts. "My father's a lawyer, and I have heard him talk aboutsomething of the same kind. And I have a strong idea that we have justcommitted a crime, as that chap in the French play talked prose withoutknowing it. "

"What do you mean?"

"Just this, that to make terms with a thief, by which you agree not toprosecute him, is a legal offence called `compounding a felony. '"

This notion of Robarts, whether right or wrong, had the useful effect ofsealing Gould's lips for some time to come. It only wanted a week tothe holidays, so the struggle was not so very prolonged. 

Crawley went to see Edwards directly the council-board broke up, andfound him nervous and depressed. 

"Perhaps I had no right to speak, " he said. "It was not for me to tell. I wouldn't; only you thought yourself under suspicion, and you havebeen so good to me. "

Well, Crawley could not but thank him and tell him he was quite right;but he was not able for the life of him to say so in very cordial tones. 

"Look here!" persisted Edwards, noticing this, "tell me honestly; if youhad been situated like me, would you have told of him?"

"Not to save my life!" blurted out Crawley; "I mean, " he added hastily, "I fear that I should not have had the moral courage. "

The week passed, and Weston School once more broke up. What storySaurin told to Sir Richard to induce him to take his name off the boardsquietly I do not know, but it had the desired effect; and when the boysreassembled for the summer term Saurin's place was known no longeramongst them. The scandal about him soon began to leak out, and thestory ran that but for Crawley's extreme generosity towards him he wouldhave now been in penal servitude at Portland. 

Stubbs, too, went away that Easter vacation, taking Topper with him, andthe pair went out to China together, Stubbs having lucrative employmentin that country. Crawley returned, but that was his last term, and soonafterwards he succeeded in getting into Woolwich. 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 

EPILOGUE. 

A young man stood on the platform of the South-Western Railway pointingout his luggage to a porter. There was a good deal of it, and everypackage had _Serapis_ painted upon it. _Serapis_, however, was not thename of that young man; that was inscribed on another part of the trunk, and ran, "Vincent Crawley, RA. " _Serapis_ indicated the ship into whosehold all these things were to go. They had other marks, for some wereto go to the bottom--_absit omen_!--the bottom of the hold, I mean, notof the sea, and were to remain there till the end of the voyage. Butone trunk was to lie atop, for it contained light clothing to be worn onentering the Red Sea. Minute were the printed directions about thesematters which had been sent him directly he got his route. It is thefashion to cry out against red tape, but red tape is a first-rate thingif it only ties up the bundles properly. There is nothing like order, method--routine in short. By following it too closely on exceptionaloccasions absurd blunders may now and then be committed; but think ofthe utter confusion that would prevail every hour for the want of it. 

With a cold March wind blowing how should a young fellow who had neverbeen out of his own country know that in a few days it would be so hotthat his present clothes would be unbearable? Or how should heunderstand the way to meet the difficulty if he did know it? I am allfor rules and regulations, and down with the grumblers. 

Mrs Crawley and the girls agreed with me, for the official directionssaved them a world of trouble. They wanted to go down to Portsmouth ina body and see him off, but he begged them not. 

"I had sooner say good-bye here, Mother, " he said, "if you don't mind. There's a detachment, and I shall have my men to look after, and if I amwith you I shall be bothered. And, well, you know, parting is amelancholy sort of business, and it is better to get it over in private, don't you think?"

Mrs Crawley saw wisdom in her son's words, and yielded with a sigh, forshe yearned to see the very last of him. Ah! we do not half value thelove of our mothers until we miss it, and the opportunity for making anyreturn is gone for ever. It seems such a matter of course, like the sunshining, which no one troubles to be grateful for. But if the sun _wentout_. 

Well, it was a painful business--a good deal worse than a visit to thedentist's--that morning's breakfast, with the table crowded with hisfavourite dainties, which he could not swallow. And then the finalparting, when all the luggage was piled on the cab. It was a reliefwhen it was over, and he found himself alone and trying to whistle. Even now, as he stowed the smaller articles in the carriage, he had agreat lump in his throat. 

The guard began shutting the doors, so he got in, and as he had fellow-passengers it was necessary to look indifferent, and as if he wereaccustomed to long journeys. The train moved out of the station and hefound several things to distract his thoughts. Presently on the rightthey passed the Wimbledon Lawn-tennis Grounds, and he thought of awonderful rally he had seen there between Renshaw and Lawson. Thenfurther on they came to Sandown on the left, where a steeple-chase wasin progress. The horses were approaching the water jump, and thetravellers put down their newspapers and crowded to the window. 

"Something in Tom Cannon's colours leading; he's over. That thing ofLord Marcus is pulling hard. By Jove he is down! No, he has picked himup again. Well ridden, sir!"

"Who is it up?"

"Why, Beresford himself. He will win, too, I think. Oh, hang it, Iwish they would stop the train a moment!"

Everybody laughed at this, though it was provoking not to see them overthe next fence; but the engine gave a derisive scream, and away theyrushed to Farnborough. 

"There's Aldershot, and the Long Valley, and that Cocked Hat Wood. British generals would beat creation if they might only let their leftrest on Cocked Hat Wood. "

They were all army men in the carriage, and the conversation neverflagged now it had been started. 

"Are you going by the _Serapis_?" asked a gentleman sitting oppositeCrawley, seeing _cabin_ painted on his busby case in the net overhead. 

"Yes, " replied Crawley. And then learning that he was bound for Indiathe other inquired the presidency and the station, and it so happenedthat he had left that district only the year before, and was now settledin Hampshire, having been superannuated, at which he grumbled much, andindeed he was a hale young-looking man to be laid on the shelf. And sothe time sped rapidly till they reached Portsmouth harbour, where aconspicuous white vessel, which was pointed out to Crawley as the_Serapis_, lay moored to a quay. Then he superintended the loading ofhis luggage in a cart, and, taking a cab, accompanied it through thedock-yard gates to a shed, where he saw it deposited as per regulation. Then he went to the "George, " where he had secured a bed, and onentering the coffee-room heard his name uttered in a tone of pleasedsurprise: "Crawley!"

"What, Buller! How are you, old fellow?"

"All right. Are you going out in the _Serapis_?"

"Yes; and you?"

"Yes. "

"That is jolly. What regiment are you in?"

"First Battalion Blankshire. Do you know I got into Sandhurst directthe first time I went up!"

"Of course you did; you would be sure to do anything you really meant; Ialways said so. I must go and report myself now and see about mydetachment, for there are some men going out with me; but we shall meetat dinner. "

They dined together at a small table by themselves, and had a long talkafterwards about the old Weston fellows, of whom Buller had recentinformation through Penryhn, who lived near his people at home. 

"I know about Robarts, " said Crawley; "he is in the Oxford eleven; butthere is your chum Penryhn, what is he doing?"

"Oh, he is in a government office in Somerset House. Not a largeincome, but safe, and rounded off with a pension. Better than our line, so far as money goes anyhow. "

"I suppose so; but I should not like office work. And Smith, OldAlgebra, have you heard of him?"

"Yes, he is mathematical master at a big school. "

"And Gould?"

"Why, don't you know? It was in all the papers. Gould's father smashedand died suddenly; did not leave his family a penny. Some friends gotLionel Gould a clerkship in some counting-house; his sister Clarissa, your old friend, you know, supports herself and her mother by thestage. "

"Dear, dear, I am sorry for them; it must be precious hard when theywere used to such luxury. And that chap Edwards, have you ever heard ofhim?"

"Oh, yes, he is at Cambridge, and intends to take orders when he getshis degree. "

"I hope it will keep him out of mischief; I always fancied he might cometo grief, he was such a weak beggar. "

"Yes, he was, and is still, I hear. But he has had the luck to get intothe clutches of a man who keeps him straight; a fellow as good as gold, and earnest enough to make all the Edwardses in the country believe inhim. "

"Lucky for Edwards; if he marries a stiffish sort of wife with the sameopinions he will live and die a saint. Saurin would have made the otherthing of him. By the by, have you ever heard anything of that fellow?"

"Not lately. He had a row with his uncle and guardian, and went toAustralia, I believe; but I have heard nothing of him for years. "

They chatted late into the night, and when Crawley went to bed his heartsmote him to remember how little he had thought of his mother. 

The _Serapis_ was to sail on the following day at noon, so when Crawleyhad seen his gunners safely embarked, and the two friends had reportedthemselves at the little office outside the saloon, had traversed thatlofty palatial apartment (how different from the cabins of the oldtroop-ships!), carefully removing their caps as a placard directed them, had made acquaintance with the little cabin which they were to sharetogether, and had stowed away their minor properties within it, theytook a last turn on shore, principally to get one or two little comfortswhich they had forgotten till then. 

As they passed a low public-house on their way back to the ship, aremarkably smart corporal of marines came out of it, and since they werein uniform, saluted. But as he did so, he suddenly turned his head awayand quickened his pace. 

Crawley and Buller looked at one another. 

"Did you recognise him?"

"Yes. "

It was Saurin. 

THE END.