Jeffries, sat
in a far corner looking rather uncomfortable. Spence, Carey and Tiddy
made up the number; the last were quite the ordinary Public School type,
their conversation ran entirely on games, scandal and the work they had
not done. Lovelace was mildly bored.

"It's pretty fair rot, you know. Here have I been fair sweating away at
the exams, every minute of my time, and Jeffries, who has not done a
stroke, is above me."

Jeffries was bottom but one.

"Oh, rotten luck," said Mansell. "You should do like me. Old fool
Claremont said I had done damned well!"

"He hardly put it that way," came from Gordon; "but I believe Mansell
has managed more or less to deceive the examiners."

"Oh, I say, that's a bit thick, you know," said Mansell. "Oh, damn, who
is that at the door?"

There was a feeble knock. "Come in!" shouted at least six voices
simultaneously.

Davenham came in looking rather frightened.

"I'm sorry.... Is Caruthers in here?"

"Yes, young fellow, he is."

"Oh, Caruthers, Meredith wants you!"

"Damn him," said Gordon. "What a nuisance these prefects are."

Very unwillingly he got up and strolled upstairs.

He was away rather a long time. After twenty minutes' absence he
returned rather moodily.

"Hullo, at last; you've been the hell of a long time," said Hunter.
"What did he want?"

"Oh, nothing; only something about my boxing subscription."

"Well, he took long enough about it, I must say. Was that all?"

"Of course. Cake, please, Fitzroy!"

The subject was dropped.

But just before chapel Jeffries ran into Gordon in the cloister.

"Look here, Caruthers, what did Meredith really want you for? I swear I
won't tell anyone."

"Oh, well, I don't mind you knowing.... You know what Meredith is,
well--I mean--oh, you know, the usual stuff. He wanted me to meet him
out for a walk to-morrow. I told him in polite language to go to the
'devil.'"

"Good Lord, did you really? But why? If Meredith gets fed up with you he
could give you the hell of a time."

"Oh, I know he could, but he wouldn't over a thing like that. Damn it
all, the man is a gentleman."

"Of course he is, but all the same he is a blood, and it pays to keep on
good terms with them."

"Oh, I don't know; it's risky--and well, I think the whole idea is
damned silly nonsense."

Jeffries looked at him rather curiously.

"Yes," he said, "I suppose that is how the small boy always looks at
it."

It was only for an hour or