d in the changing-room.
Gordon murmured "Thank you," and two or three Eton collars moved aside
to give him room. What a change! All the giants of the former generation
had gone. Betteridge had, at the express request of the Chief, come back
for one term. But he alone remained. Gordon was fifth in the House; and,
good Lord, that amazing ass Rudd was a prefect, and second in the House!
He and Gordon had a double dormitory on the lower landing. The number of
boys in the House had sunk to sixty-two, rather a desolating thought for
House matches.

The Chief was not in his study. Gordon dropped a health certificate on
his table, and gave instructions to one Morgan, a round-faced, ruddy
youth, to shove his bag into his dormitory. Then he wandered over to the
games study. And so this study was going to be his! He had often sat
there with Carter; but he had always felt himself an excrescence. Now it
was his own. He pictured the evenings after a hard game of football,
sitting in front of the fire; the long mornings when he was supposed to
be preparing history for Finnemore, spent in this atmosphere of
luxurious calm. He planned his furnishing of the room. In the broad
window he would hang two bookshelves for his smaller books. On each side
of the fireplace there was also room for bookshelves. Then, standing
against the wooden partition that jutted out into the room would be his
large oak bookcase for the heavy volumes. He would repaper the room, and
a new carpet was a necessity. He went over to the porter's lodge to give
instructions.

He had already decided to ask Foster to share the study with him. Foster
would be captain of cricket next summer. They would get on well
together. Foster never quarrelled with anyone; and it would be a
suitable combination. He met Foster by the eight-ten train from Exeter,
and informed him of the fact.

When prayers came, and Gordon stood under the mantelpiece behind the
arm-chair where the captain of the House sat, and looked down at the row
of new boys at the day-room table, it seemed incredible to him that he
had ever been like that. And yet it was only three years ago since he
had sat there, dazed and frightened.

Prayers were ended. Gordon sat back, his hands resting on the arms of
his big oak chair. The Chief came round, shaking hands.

"Caruthers, Foster and Davenport, you might come and speak to me for a
moment after you have finished your supper."

That was not long. No one had ever