d. I have my own interests to consider, my dear Paul."

"Dick," said poor Mr. Bultitude, disgusted at this exhibition of
selfishness, "you said you were sorry just now. Will you tell him the
truth?"

But Dick was quite unnerved, he cowered away, almost crying; "I
daren't, I daren't," he stammered; "I--I can't go back to the fellows
like this. I'm afraid to tell him. I--I want to hide somewhere."

And certainly he was in no condition to convince an angry schoolmaster
of anything whatever, except that he was in a state very unbecoming to
the head of a family.

It was all over; Paul saw that too well, he dashed frantically from the
fatal billiard-room, and in the hall met Boaler preparing to admit the
visitor.

"Don't open the door!" he screamed. "Keep him out, you mustn't let him
in. It's Dr. Grimstone."

Boaler, surprised as he naturally was at his young master's
unaccountable appearance and evident panic, nevertheless never moved a
muscle of his face; he was one of those perfectly bred servants, who, if
they chanced to open the door to a ghoul or a skeleton, would merely
inquire, "What name, if you please?"

"I must go and ask your Par, then, Master Dick; there's time to 'ook it
upstairs while I'm gone. I won't say nothing," he added compassionately.

Paul lost no time in following this suggestion, but rushed upstairs, two
or three steps at the time, stumbling at every flight, with a hideous
nightmare feeling that some invisible thing behind was trying to trip up
his heels.

He rushed blindly past the conservatory, which was lit up by Chinese
lanterns and crowded with little "Kate Greenaway" maidens crowned with
fantastic headdresses out of the crackers, and comparing presents with
boy-lovers; he upset perspiring waiters with glasses and trays, and
scattered the children sitting on the stairs, as he bounded on in his
reckless flight, leaving crashes of glass behind him.

He had no clear idea of what he meant to do; he thought of barricading
himself in his bedroom and hiding in the wardrobe; he had desperate
notions of getting on to the housetop by means of a step-ladder and the
sky-light above the nursery landing; on one point he was resolved--he
would not be retaken _alive_!

Never before in this commonplace London world of ours was an unfortunate
householder hunted up his own staircase in this distressing manner; even
his terror did not blind him to the extreme ignominy and injustice of
his position.