ncerned the one who was standing alone before the dread
presence, the residue prepared to enjoy the situation.

It was the more enjoyable to the vast majority of the spectators because
the delinquent was a prefect, and not a very popular one at that.

"Have you any further report to make, Haviland?" said the headmaster.

"No, sir," answered Haviland in genuine surprise, for he had made his
reports, all in order, his own roll, and the general report as prefect
of the week. Yet he didn't like the tone. It sounded ominous.

"Ah! Let Finch and Harris step forward."

Two quaking juniors slunk from their places, and stood in the awful
presence. The crime charged against the luckless pair was that of
trespass. The system of "bounds" did not exist at Saint Kirwin's,
though there were limits of time, such being constituted by frequent
callings-over. Otherwise the school could wander as it listed, the
longest stretch obtainable being about an hour and three-quarters.
There had, however, been a good many complaints of late with regard to
boys overrunning the neighbouring pheasant coverts in search of birds'
nests, for egg-collecting had many enthusiastic votaries in the school,
and now these two luckless ones, Finch and Harris, had been collared
red-handed that very afternoon by a stalwart keeper, and hauled straight
away to the Doctor.

But where did Haviland come in? Just this way. In the course of a
severe cross-examination in private, the headmaster had elicited from
the two frightened juniors that when emerging from some forbidden ground
they had seen Haviland under circumstances which rendered it impossible
that he should not have seen them. It is only fair to the two that they
hardly knew themselves how the information had been surprised out of
them--certain it was that no other master could have done it--only the
terrible Doctor. It had been ruled of late, by reason of the frequency
of such complaints, that all cases of trespass on preserved land should
be reported, instead of being dealt with as ordinary misdemeanours by
the prefects; and here was a most flagrant instance of breach of trust
on the part of one of the latter. As for Haviland, the game was all up,
he decided. He would be deprived of his official position, and its
great and material privileges, and be reduced to the ranks. He expected
nothing less.

"Now, Haviland," said the Doctor, "how is it you did not report these
boys?"

"I ought to