ster of
the House, would have enjoyed this little adventure. As it was, he did
not like it, for it could scarcely end where it had. He astonished
Felgate that evening by a visit to his study.

"Felgate," said he, "I wish to know your reason for giving Bateson a
cigar to smoke."

"I give Bateson a cigar, sir?"

"Do you deny it, Felgate?" demanded the master sternly.

"Oh," said the prefect, with a forced laugh, "I believe there was some
joke about a cigar. He had a great fancy to try one."

A scornful look came into Railsford's face as he said, "Do you really
suppose, Felgate, any good is gained by not telling the truth at once?"

"The truth, sir?" said Felgate, firing up as uncandid persons always do
when their veracity is questioned. "I don't understand you, sir."

"You understand me perfectly," said Railsford. "You know that it is
against rules for boys to smoke here."

"I wasn't smoking," said Felgate.

"No. You encouraged another boy to do what you dared not do yourself;
that is hardly creditable in a prefect."

Felgate shifted his ground.

"There's nothing wrong in smoking," said he; "lots of fellows do it."

"I do it myself," said Railsford bluntly, "but what has that to do with
this matter? You, as a monitor, are on your honour to observe the rules
of the school, and see that others observe them. You break them
yourself, and encourage others to break them. Is there nothing wrong in
that?"

Felgate said nothing, and jauntily took up a book.

"Put down that book, and bring me all the cigars or tobacco you have, at
once."

Railsford said this quietly and firmly. He had lost his shy, hesitating
manner with his prefects; and now, when, for the first time, he was in
collision with one of their number, he showed himself a stronger man
than Felgate, at any rate, had given him credit for being. The prefect
looked for a moment as if he would resist. Then he sullenly went to his
locker and produced a case containing four cigars.

"These are all you have?"

Felgate nodded.

"They are confiscated by the rules of the school," said Railsford.
"They will be returned to you after breaking-up. I wish I were able to
return them to you now, and rely on your honour not to repeat your
offence."

"I don't want them back," said Felgate, with a sneer. "You may smoke
them yourself, sir."

He repented of the insult before it had left his lips. Railsford,
however, ignored it, and quietly taking the