Well," said Felgate, when Ainger returned, "how do you like him?"

"I don't fancy I shall get on with him."

"Poor beggar!" drawled Barnworth. "I thought he might have been a good
deal worse, myself."

"So did I," said Stafford. "He was quite shy."

"No wonder, considering who his visitors were. We were all shy, for the
matter of that."

"And I," said Felgate, "intend to remain shy. I don't like the animal.
He's too fussy for me."

"Just what he ought to be, but isn't. He'll let things go on, and make
us responsible. Cool cheek!" said Ainger. "However, the row overhead
will wake him up now and then. Fancy, young Herapath, unless he's
making a joke, which isn't much in his line, says Railsford's engaged to
his sister; and on that account the young beggar and his precious chum
get leave to have Sykes' study and do what they like. They may, for all
I shall interfere. If it's a family affair, you don't catch me poking
my nose into it!"

"Engaged, is he?" cried Felgate, laughing. "What a joke!"

"It's nothing to do with us," said Barnworth, "whether he is or not."

"Unless he goes in for favouritism; which it seems he is doing," said
Ainger.

"Well, even so, you've washed your hands of young Herapath, and he's a
lucky chap. But having done so, I don't see what it matters to us how
many wives or sweethearts he has."

"It seems to me," said Ainger, who was still discontented, "we shall get
no more backing from him than we did from Moss. I don't care twopence
about that young ass Herapath; but if the house is to go on as it was
last term, and we are to be interfered with by Bickers and nobody to
stand up for us, we may as well shut up at once, and let him appoint new
prefects."

"Yes, but are you sure he won't back us up?" drawled Barnworth. "I'm
not a betting man, like Stafford, but I have a notion he'll come out on
our side."

Ainger grunted sceptically, and announced that he had to unpack; whereat
his comrades left him.

Few persons at Grandcourt gave the captain of Railsford's house credit
for being as honest as he was short-tempered, and as jealous for the
honour of his house as he was short-sighted as to the best means of
securing it. And yet Ainger was all this; and when he went to bed that
night Railsford himself did not look forward more anxiously to the
opening term than did his first lieutenant.

CHAPTER FIVE.

ARTHUR AND THE BARONET SETTLE DOWN FOR THE TERM.

The reader is n