and it will take us all our times to get them done against the school
comes back to-morrow."

"It is an extraordinary thing," said Railsford, who began to feel his
dignity somewhat put upon, "that Dr Ponsford should tell me to come to-
day, and that no preparations--"

"'Tain't got to do with me. You'd best go to the doctor's house, out of
that gate, across the little square, the house on the far side of the
chapel."

Railsford, leaving his luggage stacked on the pavement outside the
porter's lodge, started off with flushed cheeks to the lion's den. The
doctor, said the maid, was in, but was at dinner. The gentleman had
better call again in half an hour.

So Railsford, in the closing twilight, took a savage walk round the
school precincts, in no mood to admire the natural beauties of the
place, or to indulge in any rhapsodies at this near view of the scene of
his coming triumphs. In half an hour he returned, and was shown into
the doctor's study.

"How do you do, Mr ---;" here the doctor took up his visitor's card to
refresh his memory--"Mr Railsford?"

"I was afraid, sir," said Mark, "I had mistaken your letter about coming
to-day; there appears to be no one--no one who can--I have been unable
to ascertain where I am to go."

The doctor waited patiently for the end of this lucid explanation.

"I rather wonder it did not suggest itself to you to call on me for
information."

Railsford wondered so too, and felt rather sheepish.

"Your train must have been late. I expected you an hour ago."

"I think we were up to time. I walked from Blankington here."

"Really--I wish I had known of your intention."

"I trust," said Railsford, struck by a horrible suspicion, "you were not
waiting dinner for me."

"Not in the least," said the doctor, with a grim smile; "but I had
calculated on taking you round before nightfall. We must defer our
visit till the morning. Talking of dinner," he added, "you will be
ready for something after your journey, will you not?"

As Railsford was nearly famishing, he could only colour up and reply--

"Thank you."

The doctor rang the bell.

"See that Mr Railsford gets dinner. I have to go out," he added, "but
you will, no doubt, make yourself at home;" and the great man withdrew,
leaving the new master in a very crestfallen and disturbed state of
mind.

If this was a sample of the sympathy he might expect at head-quarters,
Moss's prognostications, after all, were not