r tea under the pav._"

The three boys stared at it in silence.

"What does it mean?" asked Mugford.

"Why," cried Diggory excitedly, "I see. Something's going to happen
after tea this evening in that place under the pavilion--you know where
I mean?"

The other two nodded their heads. The pavilion at Ronleigh being raised
some distance above the level of the field, there was a space between
the floor and the ground used for storing whiting-buckets, goal-posts,
and a number of forms, which were brought out on match-days to afford
seats for visitors. The door of this den had no lock, and opened on the
piece of waste turf at the back of the building. Small boys used it as
a cave when playing brigands, and for so doing had their ears boxed by
irate members of the Sports Committee. It was too low to admit of any
one's moving about except in a stooping posture, and pitch dark unless
the door was left wide open.

"What do you think it is?" said Mugford.

"I don't know," answered Diggory; "but I mean to go and see."

"If they catch you prying about, and find out that you've been watching
them, you'll get an awful licking."

"I don't care if I do; I mean to go."

"Well, we'll go with you," said Jack Vance. "Remember it's the Triple
Alliance, and we vowed always to stand by each other whatever happened."

"Yes," answered Diggory, "and so we will; but there's less chance of one
being seen than three. No; I'll go alone."

CHAPTER XVIII.

A SECRET SOCIETY.

It was a clear, starlight night. Diggory was one of the first to leave
the dining-hall, and, passing swiftly out of the quadrangle, was soon
hurrying across the junior playing field. On reaching the pavilion, all
was quiet and deserted, and he stood for a moment considering what
should be his next step.

The thin hedge dividing the two playgrounds was by this time bare of
leaves, and afforded no hiding-place; the only chance of concealment was
to take shelter inside the den itself--a place which has already been
described. This, however, seemed rather like venturing into the lion's
mouth. What was going to happen? Would anything take place, or was it
only a wild-goose chase after all?

"Here goes!" muttered Diggory to himself. He opened the door, pulling
it to again after him as he crept inside; then taking a step forward in
the pitchy darkness, promptly fell over a bucket with an appalling
crash. Scrambling once more to his feet, he felt in