isance to have to look after one's own things.
Besides, probably the man next to you had a much newer sweater. The
House intended to go on as before. And indeed it did.

One day Ferguson thought he wanted some exercise. It was a half-holiday,
and Clarke was quite ready for a game of tennis. Ferguson went down to
the changing-room. The first thing he saw was that his tennis shoes were
gone. He thought it quite impossible that anyone should dare to bag his
things. Fuming with wrath, he banged into the matron's room.

"I say, Matron, look here; my tennis shoes are gone."

And then, suddenly, he saw the Chief standing at the other end of the
room, glancing down the dormitory list.

"Oh, really, Ferguson, I must see about this. Matron, do you know
anything about Ferguson's shoes?"

"No, sir! Never touch the boys' shoes. George is the only person who
looks after them; and he only cleans _black_ boots and shoes."

"Oh, well, then, Ferguson, you'd better come with me, and we will make a
search for them."

Ferguson cursed inwardly. This would mean at least half-an-hour wasted;
and he could so easily have found another pair. The School House
changing-room is a noble affair. It is about seventy feet long and sixty
wide. All round it run small partitioned-off benches; in the middle are
stands for corps clothes. At one end there is what was once a piano.
Laboriously the Chief and Ferguson hunted round the room. In the far
corner there was an airing cupboard. It was a great sight to see
Ferguson climb up on the top of this. He was not a gymnast, and he took
some time doing it. Hunter sat changing at one end of the room,
thoroughly enjoying himself.

Down the passage a loud, tuneless voice began to sing _Who were You with
Last Night?_ and Mansell rolled in. He saw the Chief, and stopped
suddenly, going over to Hunter.

"What does the old idiot want?"

"He's hunting for Ferguson's tennis shoes."

"Good Lord! and I've got them on."

"Well, get them off, then, quick."

In a second, while the Chief was looking the other way, Mansell stole
across to the middle of the room and laid them on the top of the
hot-water pipes.

About two minutes later Ferguson burst out:

"Look, sir, here they are!"

"But, my dear Ferguson, I'm sure we must have looked there."

"Yes, sir. I thought we had."

"Er, 't any rate there are your shoes, Ferguson, and I hope you'll have
a good game!" The Chief went out, rather annoyed at having was