Street.
The church clock had just struck the quarter-past five, and by this time
it was dark, though the street was lit up by the gas-lamps and the long
rows of shop windows.

"I hope no one sees us," said Jack Vance. "I'm mud all over. We must
look sharp, or we shall be late."

"Hullo!" exclaimed Diggory, "look out! Here's that wretched little
Grice coming; there, he's stopped to look into the ironmonger's shop.
We must dodge past him somehow, or he'll want to know where we've
been."

The trio crossed quickly over to the opposite side of the street, and
hurried off at full speed in the direction of the school.

All boys were supposed to be on the school premises by half-past five,
and at that time the door leading to the outer world was locked by the
prefect for the day.

Oaks, who happened to be on duty, was standing in the passage talking to
Allingford when the three juveniles arrived, out of breath and flushed
with running.

"Hullo, you kids! where have you been?" inquired the captain.

Diggory launched out into a brief description of their many adventures;
Oaks laughed heartily. "Well," he said, pulling out his watch, "you've
just got back in time; half a minute more, and you'd have been outside,
my boys."

The prefect locked the door, and continuing his conversation with
Allingford, started off down the passage. On reaching what was the main
corridor on the ground floor, they paused for a moment, and stood
warming their hands at the hot-water pipe, and it was while thus engaged
that they were suddenly accosted by Mr. Grice, who bustled up to them in
a great state of excitement.

"Are you on duty, Oaks?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have any boys come in late?"

"No, sir."

"Well, three boys passed me in the town; I think one of them was young
Trevanock. I called to them to stop, but they took no notice. When
they come in, you send than to me."

"They weren't late, sir," answered Oaks; "they came in about a minute
ago."

"Oh, nonsense. I looked at my watch when I saw them in the town, and
then it was five-and-twenty past; they couldn't have come up in five
minutes. You must either have let them in, or not closed the door at
the proper time."

Prefects at Ronleigh were not in the habit of being lectured as though
they were lower-school boys. Oaks bit his lip.

"I closed the door on the stroke of half-past," he answered.

"Well, you say those boys came in about two minutes ago. By me it's now