now, but your's--
let's see," said he, taking the cadaverous baronet's ticket and looking
at it, "yours has got one of the corners torn off--yes, that's it.
Yours should be Catterwaul."

Dig gasped, and tried to moisten his parched lips. It was a long time
before the words came.

"It's a swindle!" cried he, choking. "I've won it--I--I--give me the 10
shillings 6 pence."

"Don't make an ass of yourself," said Mills. "I tell you you've got the
wrong paper; isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not enough, you thief, you!" roared Dig, tossing his tawny
mane. "Everybody said you were a blackleg--I know it's all lies you're
telling, and I--I--I don't care if you do lick me."

As he didn't care, of course it didn't so much matter, but Mills cut
short further argument by licking him and ejecting him neck and crop
from the room.

In the passage he pitched head-first into the arms of Mr Railsford.

"What's wrong?" asked the master, looking down at the miserable face of
the small savage before him.

"It's a swindle!" shouted Dig. "It's a swindle, Mr Railsford. I won
it fairly--and he's a thief--he's stolen 10 shillings 6 pence of mine."

"Don't make all that noise," said Railsford quietly, for the luckless
baronet was almost out of his wits. "I can hear you without shouting.
Who has robbed you?"

"Why, that blackleg swindler in there!" said Dig, pointing at Mills's
door. "Ten-and-six, ten-and-six--the thief!"

"Come with me," said the master, and he led Dig back into Mills's study.

"Mills," said he, "Oakshott says you have robbed him. What does it
mean?"

"I've not done anything of the kind," said Mills, himself rather pale
and scared. "I told him--it was all a mistake. It wasn't my fault."

"What was a mistake? Just tell me what it is all about."

Here Dig took up the parable.

"Why, he got up a sweep on the Derby, and got us each to shell out six
stamps, and there were twenty-one fellows in, and I drew Blazer, the
winner; and now he won't give me the stakes, and says my Blazer is a
mistake for Catterwaul!"

Railsford frowned.

"This is a serious matter. You know the rule about gambling."

"Oh, please, sir," said Mills, who had dropped all his bravado, as he
realised that he stood a good chance of being expelled, "I really didn't
mean it for gambling; it wasn't for money, only stamps; and I thought
there was no harm. I'll never do such a thing again, sir, really." And
he almost went on his knees