"To punish them."
"Are you not aware that the captain of the School is the only prefect who is allowed to punish?"
"Yes, sir, but--"
"Well?"
"We were not sure that their own prefects were going to take any notice of it."
"I caned all four of them for it, and you saw me do it," said Yorke.
"Humph. And as to Rollitt, how came he to be present?" asked the doctor.
"He came in."
"What were you doing when he came in?"
"There was a scuffle."
"You were striking those boys? What did Rollitt do? Did he strike you?"
"No, sir."
"What then?"
"He--he," said Dangle, flushing up to be obliged to record the fact in the presence of the other seniors, "he dragged me across the Green."
"Then you say he attacked you on another occasion on the football field?"
And Dangle had to stand an uncomfortable cross-examination on this incident too.
"What had it all got to do with Rollitt?" asked every one of himself.
"I ask you all these questions, Dangle," said the doctor, when he had brought this chapter of history up to date, "because it seems to me you are Rollitt"s chief accuser in this matter. I wish I were able to feel that you were not personally interested in your charges proving to be true. That, of course, does not affect the case, as far as Rollitt is concerned. The evidence against him is merely conjecture, so far."
"But I met him at Fisher"s door that afternoon," said Dangle, determined to make the most of his strong points.
"Why," said Fisher, "you told me you didn"t know which my door was, when you first spoke about it."
"I found out since, and it was the same door."
"Was he coming out of the room or going in!"
"Coming out."
"You are sure of that?"
"Yes, I remember because the door nearly struck me as he opened it."
"However could it do that!" exclaimed Fisher. "My door opens inwards!"
Dangle coloured up with confusion and stammered--
"I--I thought it--I suppose I was wrong."
"I think so," said the doctor frigidly. "Thank you, boys, I needn"t keep you longer at present."
"You idiot!" said Clapperton, as he and the discomfited Dangle walked back to Forder"s. "You"ve made a precious mess of it, and made the whole house ridiculous. Why couldn"t you let it alone? You"ve mulled everything you"ve put your finger into this term."
"Look here, Clapperton," said Dangle, in a white heat, "I"ve stood a lot from you this term--a jolly lot. I"ve done your dirty work, and--"
"What do you mean? What dirty work have I asked you to do?"
"Plenty that you"ve not had the pluck to do yourself."
"I dare you to repeat it, you liar!"
"You shall do your own in future, I know that."
"Dangle, hold your tongue, you cad!"
"I shall do nothing of the kind, you sn.o.b!"
Whereupon ensued the most wonderful spectacle of the half, a fight between Clapperton and Dangle. It was nearly dark, and no one was about, and history does not record how it ended. But in Hall that night both appeared with visages suspiciously marred, and it was noted by many an observant eye that diplomatic relations between the two were suspended.
But while old friends had thus been falling out on Rollitt"s account, old enemies had on the same grounds been making it up.
The juniors having recovered of their colds, and finding themselves once more in the full possession of their appet.i.te, their liberty, and their spirits, celebrated their convalescence by a general _melee_ in Percy"s room, under the specious pretext of a committee meeting of the shop- directors. This business function being satisfactorily concluded, they turned their attention to the condition of things in general.
That Fellsgarth should have got itself into a regular mess during their enforced retirement caused them no surprise. What else could any one expect?
But that any one should dare to suspect and make things hot for a fellow without consulting _them_, caused them both pain and astonishment. It quite slipped their memories that not long since some of them had been glad enough to listen to disparaging talk about the School hermit. That was a detail. On the whole they had stuck to him, and they meant to stick to him now!
Many things were in his favour. He had won a goal for the School. He had dispensed with his right to a f.a.g, and had let the juniors of all grades generally alone. He was on nodding terms with Fisher minor, one of their lot. He had come up Hawk"s Pike at much personal inconvenience to look for them. And he had been a customer to the extent of six Abernethys at the School shop.
For all these reasons (which were quite apart from party considerations) it was decided _nem. con_. that Rollitt was a "good old sort" and must be stuck by.
Whereupon the nine of them sallied out arm in arm across the Green, on the look-out for some one who might hold a contrary opinion.
After some search they found a Modern middle-boy, who, catching sight of Fisher minor, shouted, "How now! Who n.o.bbled the Club money?" which made Fisher minor suddenly detach himself from his company, and shouting, "That"s him!" start in pursuit. What a bull-dog it was getting, to be sure!
The whole party joined in the hue-and-cry, and might have run the fugitive down, had not the head-master stalked across the Green at that moment on his way to Mr Wakefield"s.
At sight of him they pulled up short, looked unutterably amiable, doffed their caps, and made as though they were merely out to take the air on this beautiful November afternoon.
To Fisher minor the interruption was a sad one. That fellow was the borrower of his half-crown; for weeks he had lost sight of him. Now, suddenly, chance had seemed to bring both man and money within reach, when, alas! the Harpy swooped down and took off the prize from under his very nose.
The doctor having pa.s.sed, they continued their search for any one who had a bad word to say for Rollitt.