ng his own sympathy and enthusiasm for whatever tended towards
the physical improvement of Grandcourt. The boys cheered him at every
sentence, and when Smedley afterwards welcomed him in the name of the
boys, and said they were all proud to have an old "Blue" among their
masters, he received quite a small ovation. Then the meeting went
heartily to work over the business of the sports.

After an hour and a half's steady work the programme was arranged, the
date was fixed, the expenses were estimated, and the vote of thanks was
given to the chairman.

"Would you mind umpiring again next Saturday, sir?" asked Smedley, as
they parted.

"With all the pleasure in the world--any time," said the master, only
wishing he could play in the fifteen himself.

Railsford's house, meanwhile, had celebrated the temporary absence of
its ruler in strictly orthodox fashion. Scarcely had he departed,
flattering himself that the deluded mice were still under the spell of
the cat's presence in their neighbourhood, when the word went round like
wildfire, "Coast's clear!" Arthur and the baronet heard it in their
study, and flung their books to the four winds and rushed howling down
to the common room. The Babies heard it, and kicked over their forms,
and executed war-dances in the passages. The Fifth-form "muggers" heard
it, and barricaded their doors and put cotton-wool in their ears.
Stafford and Felgate heard it, and shrugged their shoulders and wondered
when the other prefects would be back.

"There's nobody about. Come on. We can kick up as much row as we
like!" shouted the high-principled Arthur. "Who cares for my spooney
old brother-in-law, Marky?"

The shout of laughter which followed this noble appeal suddenly dropped
into a deadly silence as the lank form of Mr Bickers appeared in the
doorway. Arthur rapidly lost himself in the crowd. The two prefects,
with flushed faces, elbowed their way into the room as though just
arrived to quell the uproar. A few boys snatched up books and flopped
down at their desks. But Mr Bickers had too keen an eye to let himself
be imposed upon. He had witnessed the scene from a window in his own
house, and surmising by the noise that no authority was present to deal
with the disorder, had taken upon himself to look in in a friendly way
and set things right.

"Silence!" he cried, closing the door behind him, and walking two steps
into the room. "Where is Mr Railsford?"

"Out, sir,"