risked so much to get that letter to its destination-had braved more than one per

d all your pocket

placed his hand upon his breast-pocket. "I put it h

en, can it

must, therefore, have lost it since; but where-where? That was the question he kept repeating to himself without finding an answer. Of a sudden it came to

e it's in

ham. "In the well?

expla

ended. "Well, there's one consolation-it's better for the letter to be in

rnative was very palatable to him. Duty was before him as a pole-star. A still small voice was ever whispering to him, "Paul, thy duty. Do that in spite of anything that may happen to you. Place that first and foremost, even b

I didn't," said Wyndham; "but it's no use being foolhardy. If the letter's at the

would be vegetable stuff, and that sort of thing floating on the top of it. Well, if that's so,

sics-eh?" smiled Wyndham. "Fire away. I b

and prove whether I'm right or wrong. Is it

ing down the

e me by again tu

till further his pluck and determination. He never imagined that a despised "Gargoyle" had so much of t

thing," said Paul.

nd you one. Wait

y he returned with a lantern, which he lighted and handed to Pa

and I'll tell y

ed till Paul was within a

" he s

the water. There, to his great joy, was the missing letter, floating on the weeds. He cautio

way!" h

hat a minute later Paul was a

asked Wynd

It was slightly damp, but little th

it. I'm jolly gla

as very good of you to turn back with me, and I hope if

ville. It was a fine old country house. A light was shining from its gabled front. By its light Paul could see that there was a man hovering about the house. He could not get a clear glimpse of him, b

d at the last moment. He saw that it was useless trying to e

an-clubs, a parallel-bar, and a vaulting-horse stowed away in another part of the room. But it was not so much these things which attracted the attention of Paul as the occupants of the room. A middle-aged gentleman was kneeling. He was praying aloud. Near him was a lady. On either side of her was a girl and bo

to the piano, and the little group joined hear

e day i

s drawi

of the

cross t

hadows been stealing across the sky that evening, and they had not yet dispersed. Brockman, the man withou

he long ni

ne ange

te wings

round e

led by a separate door into the garden. When the singing had ended, Paul stepped softly to the door and knocked gently on it with his knuckles. It was opened by one

ee Mr. M

you want with me, my lad?" said

' said that gentlema

r, Mr. Henry Moncrief. He couldn't brin

acci

im, and as he's the father of a school chum of mine, Stan Moncrief; I brought it al

ame very grave. He went from the room, and his wife followed him, evidently as anxious as himsel

ormer, for directly his parents left the ro

l, looked embarrassed at her brother's blunt method of introduction, but he rattled on. "Rather good for a girl. Not so slow as most of them. Can take a turn with th

e in the s

School?" asked

nod

Gaffer Quelch's, thank goodness!"-Gaffer Quelch's was a college for juve

idea of "seeing life," and the high and e

a term ago, and went to Garside. That's another reason I'm going there. Things ar

nswered P

h he had been at Garside only a term, he had almost succeeded in creating a r

s in correct form, you see; for if I let myself down, I let Stan down. So I asked Plunger the right thing to do on going to Garside. Plunger's an awfully good sort of fe

er, however, glanced round to make sure they were quite alone before he drew from his pocket t

e turned up at bo

on boots

aistcoat. E

a dig with right-hand forefinger in ribs. Give him following particulars: Age and

present her with your portrait (for school album). Write on bot

be left at Billiter's

ious Plunger had drawn up for his chum's instruction, the more so as Harry, w

arry, as Paul handed the rules back to him. "Ki

of answering as Mr. Mo

thrust the pap