shall know about it!"

Stephen was dreadfully uncomfortable. Though, to his knowledge, he had
done nothing wrong, he felt terribly guilty at the bare notion of the
Doctor being informed of his transactions with Mr Cripps, besides
greatly in awe of the vague threats held out by that gentleman. He did
not venture on further argument, but, bidding a hasty farewell, returned
as fast as he could to Saint Dominic's, wondering whatever Oliver would
say, and sorely repenting the day when first he was tempted to think of
the unlucky bat.

He made a clean breast of it to his brother that evening, who, of
course, called him an ass, and everything else complimentary, and was
deservedly angry. However, Stephen had reason to consider himself lucky
to possess an elder brother at the school who had a little more
shrewdness than himself. Oliver was determined the debt should be paid
at once, without even waiting to write home, and by borrowing ten
shillings from Wraysford, and adding to it the residue of his own
pocket-money, the sovereign was raised and dispatched that very night to
Mr Cripps; after which Oliver commanded his brother to sit down and
write a full confession of his folly home, and ask for the money,
promising never to make such a fool of himself again. This task the
small boy, with much shame and trembling at heart, accomplished; and in
due time an answer came from his mother which not only relieved his mind
but paid off his debts to Oliver and Wraysford, and once for all closed
the business of the treble-cane splice bat.

It would have been well for Loman if he could have got out of his
difficulties as easily and as satisfactorily.

Ever since he had gathered from Stephen Mr Cripps's wrath on receiving
the returned rod, he had been haunted by a dread lest the landlord of
the Cockchafer should march up to Saint Dominic's, and possibly make an
exposure of the unhappy business before the Doctor and the whole school.
He therefore, after long hesitation and misgiving, determined himself
to call at the Cockchafer, and try in some way to settle matters. One
thing reassured him. If Cripps had discovered the crack or the fracture
in the rod, he would have heard of it long before now; and if he had
not, then the longer the time the less chance was there of the damage
being laid at his door. So he let three weeks elapse, and then went to
Maltby. The Cockchafer was a small, unpretentious tavern, frequented
chiefly by