head of the different forms. Mr. Weevil half closed his eyes for an instant; t

desk, and brought his hand down upon it sharply-"has been forced open during the night, and five pages torn from the Black Book. That is not all. Admiral Talbot-one of the esteemed governors of this school-has offered a valuable prize, as you are all aware,

g the rules and had received punishment at the hands of the masters. It could be brought forward at any time in evidence against them. They would willingly have stood by and seen it burnt, but forcing open the master's desk, stealing

entered the room about half-past eight this morning, and, on going to my desk, at once found that it had been opened-for what despicable purpose I have explained to you. In the absence of Dr. Colville, I consulted with my colleagues-your masters. That is the reason why the school has not commenced at the usual hour. We have looked at

ashed a look along the form to where Paul was sitting. Baldry quietly pinched Plunger, and P

r to his appeal, Mr. We

dormitory after light

upon himself the terrible suspicion that he had broken open the master's desk, and had torn out the leaves in which were r

ght, for had he not crawled under the bed at the time he looked in? Should he speak-should he speak? Again and again Paul asked himself the question. Why should he? What had his absence

for?" he thought. "Is it possible that he

tion, the voice of Mr. Weevil

Don't let him keep silent under any false notion of honour. It is for the honour of the sch

im leave the dormitory, now was his time

ce from some of you to find him out. I am disappointed in my expectation. As I have been unable to find

e on the point of filing out to the different class

be kept in Dormitory X a

to do wit

ught to have spoken at the time; it was

et me hear how

ef's cousin. It upset Moncrief, and I ought to have left off; but I di

d soon find out who was the culprit who went to my desk. Moncrief was guilty of a Quixotic act of disobedience, as it

eral opinion. Paul thought the same. He had scarcely expected Newall would act up to the promise that he had given him, but h

ver my prejudice aga

looking none the worse for the n

aul were in the grounds that they

tory another day and night," Stanley said, as Paul cordia

ue

een speakin

me yesterday, and he wouldn't have

ed Stanley, after a moment's reflect

ng a

give it up, the

never gue

stared at Paul

wned up frankly before the masters and all the s

e told you that h

my ears till I actually heard him. A night's reflection has done him good, though he hadn't the benefit of

ting on what he should do i

u were in my

o Newall and shak

ly. "I-I-don't think I can do that, Paul

ful what a shake of the hands does for bad blood. It's t

w than I am, and can do th

water-quite nice when the plunge is on

went in search of Newall. They found him with Parf

t den I was in last night. You've done me a good turn, and

, but Newall took no notice of i

t I'd done you a good tur

g to Mr. Weevil, and getting me

a mocking laugh-"that! Yo

nd deceived him? Was this only a ruse on his part to make him shake hands with Newall, or had Newall taken le

and goodness knows how much longer he would have kept me a prisone

spoke up to Weevil like a brick. It's no use t

ght in them, just as there had been when Paul had spoken to him the day before-"and it's true enough I wanted to get you out of that hole

ow told him that, and the vindictiveness in his eyes spoke even plainer than speech. Paul had been deceived, and he had been deceived.

, you see"-pointing to his lip, which was discoloured and cut. "I'm glad of it. It kept me awake last night, thinking of you. And when

ble to these mocking jibes? Paul was silent,

"-his fist was clenched as though he would have dearly liked to make good his words-"but that would only mean that one

rrel between us. You wish to fight it out to the bi

the slow, firm answe