hope of recovery. He watched her
night and day through all the vicissitudes of her fever, and when at
last the crisis was over, and the doctors said she would recover, they
said also that unless Dr Senior wanted to have an illness himself he
must go away and get perfect rest and change for a week or two at the
very least.

The consequence of all this was that Saint Dominic's had to reassemble
after the Christmas holidays without the Doctor.

To some of the boys this was sorrowful news; others regarded the
circumstance with indifference, while one section there was who received
the intelligence with positive joy.

Strange that that section should contain in it two such opposites as
Loman of the Sixth and Bramble of the Fourth Junior.

Loman, despite his "run of luck," had spent an uneasy holiday. He had
been in constant terror of seeing Cripps every time he ventured outside
his house; and he had been in still more terror of Cripps calling up at
Saint Dominic's and telling the Doctor all about him directly after the
holidays. For now Loman's time was up. Though he had in one way and
another paid off all his debt to the landlord of the Cockchafer but
eight pounds, still he knew Cripps could make himself quite as
unpleasant about eight pounds as about thirty pounds, and probably
would.

But as long as the Doctor was away it didn't matter so much. And,
besides, the examination for the exhibition would of course be
postponed, which meant so much longer time for preparation--which meant
so much better chance for Loman of winning it. For, when he tried, he
could work hard and effectively.

So Loman was very glad to hear the Doctor was away ill. So was Bramble!

That youth (who, by the way, had during the holidays quite recovered
from the sobering effect of his grandmother's visit to the school) was
always on a look-out for escaping the eye of the constituted
authorities. He hardly ever saw the Doctor from one month's end to
another; but somehow, to know he was away--to know any one was away who
ought to be there to look after him--was a glorious opportunity! He
launched at once into a series of revolutionary exploits on the strength
of it. He organised mutinies ten times a day, and had all the
specifications drawn up for blowing up Saint Dominic's with paraffin
oil. There was nothing, in short, Bramble would not venture while the
Doctor was away; and there is no knowing how far he might have carried
his blo