"

Next day Gordon was left out of the Colts' side. The day after the chair
in Trundle's class-room suddenly collapsed. The leg had been sawn half
through, and Trundle fell over on the floor.

Gordon was riding for a fall, and two days before Commemoration, to use
his own phrase, he "fairly put his foot in it." This term he had a
double dormitory with one Davenport, a scholar who was a year junior to
Gordon; but was in the same form. The Chief had thought Gordon a bit big
for the Nursery, but there was no room for him down below; so he and
Davenport lived at the end of the passage in glorious isolation. It was
a great luxury; they were allowed several privileges; they could keep
their light on till ten; they could go to bed when they liked, and it
was here that they usually did their preparation. Davenport, however,
suddenly contracted measles; and Gordon, who had grown too slack to do
his work alone, used to get leave for Sydenham, a rather insignificant,
self-righteous member of V. A, who had come a term before him, to come
and prepare his work in the double room. Leave was always granted, and
when Davenport returned, the scheme was still continued. On this
particular night, Davenport had got a headache. He said he was going to
stop out next day, and refused to prepare Thucydides. It also happened
that the House tutor was away that night, and so the Chief went round
the dormitories, putting out the lights. He did not know of the custom
by which Sydenham came up to do the con. He was not very pleased, but
after a little hesitation gave leave. The door was shut. Sydenham
perched himself on the chest of drawers, Gordon produced an aid to quick
translation, Davenport turned over the pages of _Nash's_. The Abbey
bells also happened to be ringing that night. It was quite impossible to
hear any normal sound down the passage; and so Gordon was quite unaware
of the Chief's intention to revisit them and see if they were really
working, till the door opened and the Chief walked in. Gordon lost his
head; he sat up in bed and gaped. Thucydides lay on one side of the bed,
the crib on the other.

The Chief picked up the book.

"Ah, does Mr Macdonald allow you to use this?"

In the really dramatic moments of our lives it is always the inane that
first suggests itself. It was so likely that Macdonald would have given
them permission.

"No, sir."

"Er, Davenport, are you preparing--er yes, Thucydides with Caruthers,
too?"

"