Grandcourt. His
three idle years made the prospect of hard work now welcome; and the
importance which everyone else attached to his new duties made him
doubly keen for a fray on which so many eyes were turned.

Dr Ponsford had suggested, in terms which amounted to a mandate, that
the new master might find it convenient to arrive at Grandcourt a day
before the school returned, in order to take possession of his quarters
and acquaint himself with the details of his coming duties. This
arrangement was not altogether satisfactory, for it deprived Mark of the
pleasure of his future brother-in-law's escort, which was a great loss,
and also of the prospect of finding Grover at his journey's end, on
which he had reckoned with some confidence. However, it was only the
difference of a day, and during that day he would at least do his utmost
to make a favourable impression on his chief. So, with a heart full of
confidence, and a cab full of luggage, he set out gaily on his new
career.

"Good-bye, Mark. You'll be good to my son, I know," said Mrs Herapath.

"Good-bye, my boy; take care of your health," said Mr Herapath.

"Good-bye, Mark," said Daisy.

"Ta-ta, old man," called Arthur. "See you to-morrow."

This last greeting, strange as it may seem, recurred to Railsford's
memory more frequently than any of the others during the course of the
long railway journey to Grandcourt. It took all sorts of forms as the
day wore on. At first it seemed only a fraternal _au revoir_, then it
became a rather serious promise, and finally sounded in his ears rather
like a menace.

Here was he, going down like a prince to his coronation, and his
subjects would "see him to-morrow." It had never occurred to him before
that these subjects might have something to say to the ordering of the
new kingdom, and that he should have to reckon with them, as well as
they with him. The idea was not altogether comfortable, and he tried to
shelve it. Of course he would get on with them. They would look up to
him, and they would discover that his interests and theirs were the
same. He was prepared to go some way to meet them. It would be odd if
they would not come the rest to meet him. He turned his mind to other
subjects. Still he wished he could be quite sure that Arthur's innocent
"see you again to-morrow" had no double meaning for him.

The railway took him as far as Blankington Junction, about five miles
from Grandcourt; and, as it wo