"I suggest, Cadbury, that you give us no more information than you have done (which is practically nothing) regarding the source of the supper."
"It should have been bread-sauce," put in Cadbury.
"This isn"t the time for puns," said Vickers severely. "I was going to add that in our ignorance lies our only chance of safety. There is certain to be trouble over this affair, and there are three or four points about it which seem to aggravate our case. You see, first"--bringing his fingers into action--"it was Pepper who caught us, and he"s a Tartar at all times. Would that it had been Andy! Second, West may take it as a reflection on his table. Third--"
"Would you mind going on talking for an hour or two, Vick?" interrupted Cadbury in a drowsy voice. "I find it very helpful and soothing. Of course, if you could sing the words it would be a still more perfect lullaby."
Vickers, mistaking the voice for Jack"s, flung a sponge at the wrong head, and relapsed into silence. Jack, roused at this injustice, dipped the sponge into his water-jug, and returned it with force. Vickers ducked, and it exploded against the wall above his head. Cadbury watched and chuckled. The shadow cast by coming events had not quite overwhelmed the boys" spirits.
When they were called, the boot-boy laid a book on Cadbury"s bed as he pa.s.sed. The inside of the cover was found to contain the following words in Grey"s handwriting:--
_Dear C.,--For pity"s sake, dress quick, and meet me 5" before the bell in the housemaid"s cupboard. There"s standing-room.--E. G._
Now, though they had been thrown together in the chicken incident, Cadbury and Grey were not bosom friends, and Cadbury did not feel particularly eager for this interview. But he good-naturedly did as he was asked, and sneaked out of his room five minutes before the bell had rung which formally permitted the boys to leave.
He found Grey already awaiting him in the chosen rendezvous among brooms, dusters, and pails. It is true there was standing-room, but it was dangerous to move. As the cupboard door opened to admit him, it let in enough light to reveal Grey"s white, frightened face, and as he pulled Cadbury inside the latter noticed the clammy "frogginess" of his hands. He drew the door to very carefully.
"Good-morning!" said Cadbury. "This is a pleasant spot to meet in. So romantic!"
"Cadbury, how can you joke, when it"s all up with us?" Grey"s voice was quite hoa.r.s.e.
"What"s the good of looking forward? Seize the flying moment, and suck honey while you may. That"s my motto."
"But you think with me; it _is_ all up with us?"
"I"m afraid that"s about the long and the short of it. Pepper was very hot and red last night,--regular Cayenne, in fact; and I have noticed that Cayenne at night spells Cane in the morning."
"Cadbury, please stop making fun! I--can"t bear it. You don"t care, but I do. I haven"t slept a wink all night."
"Pick up your spirit, then, and pocket your fears. I"ll stand by you, and take my full share. We"ll brace ourselves together and face the music."
"Oh no, I can"t! I can"t! I"m younger than you. I never asked the woman for the chicken, and I begged you to let me off fetching it. You can call me a coward if you like; I don"t care! I am afraid!"
There was silence for a moment, and then Cadbury spoke, but in an altered voice.
"Do you mean to say that you want me to leave your name out entirely?"
"Y--yes. If I get in a row it"ll be mentioned in my report, and I shall catch it at home. I don"t believe you feel things like I do. And it was all your doing, wasn"t it?"
"Mostly. Very well, I sha"n"t mention you, Grey."
And with that Cadbury marched out of the housemaid"s cupboard with his hands in his pockets.
Prayers were followed by early prep., and early prep., by breakfast, without a word on the subject uppermost in the minds of so many. The day-boys arrived, and saw at once that something was up, though what they could not make out. But at ten minutes to nine Mr. Peace entered the room with an excited air, and announced that all the boys were to stand together as at drill. Mr. West wished to speak to them.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
The head appeared almost immediately, and ordered the occupants of the two rooms, headed by Hallett and Trevelyan, to stand in front.
He began with a short, studied preface about "an unpleasant duty" and "flagrant breach of rules"; then gave a brief _resume_ of what had taken place, and proceeded to personal enquiries.
"Where did the chicken come from? Who brought it into the house?"
Cadbury stood forward.
"So you are responsible for this, Cadbury? Anyone else?"
"No, sir."
"How did you obtain possession of the chicken?"
"It--got run over--and killed--in bicycling. I mean, I was bicycling."
"Did you steal it, then, or buy it?"
"The woman it belonged to gave it to me, sir."
"After you"d run over it?"
"After it was dead, sir."
"And who cooked it?"
"She did, sir."
"Cadbury, Cadbury! how dare you put forward such a story as this? I can"t believe a word of it."
"It"s true, sir."
"True! that after you had killed a chicken, the owner not only presented you with it, but undertook to cook it for you?"
"Yes, sir."
Mr. West"s only comment on this affirmation was a deep sigh.
Further examination failed to make Cadbury contradict himself; but to certain enquiries he politely declined to furnish an answer.
"Was any boy with you at the time who can bear witness to your story?
"Will you give me this woman"s address, that I may send for her?
"How did you manage to get the chicken after it was cooked?"
Such questions as these drew forth nothing.
At length Mr. West, without expressing any opinion, pa.s.sed on to the subject of the cracked window, but he could not persuade any of Hallett"s room to own to the accident. He threatened, he even entreated,--in vain. The clock ticked on; it was a quarter past nine, and everyone was very tired of standing, when the enquiry was brought to an end, and sentence p.r.o.nounced.
Green and another boy named Buckland were complimented on having "wisely and most properly" kept themselves and their respective rooms entirely outside the affair. Cadbury, on his own confession--"an extraordinary, and, I am bound to say, improbable tale"--was to suffer first and worst, and had the doubtful distinction of accompanying Mr. West there and then to his study. Next, the inmates of Hallett"s and Trevelyan"s rooms were doomed to forego supper for three days, Hallett"s room being sentenced in addition to pay for the mending of the cracked pane. Lastly, and this was the part of the sentence that roused the whole school, all--boarders and day-boys alike--were to forfeit the next half-holiday.