brought it away with me. Here, look for yourself."

As he spoke, Diggory produced the slip of paper from his waistcoat
pocket. By the light of the archway lamp it was compared with a
hastily-constructed key, and the former translation was found to be
correct.

The Triple Alliance had certainly for once in a way "drawn blank," and
the preparation bell putting an end to their further deliberations, they
directed their steps toward the schoolroom, wondering more than ever
what could be the meaning of that significant word, "To-night."

Now, the real reason of the three friends being thus at fault in their
investigations was simply this: they were exactly twenty-four hours
behindhand in their attempt to unravel the mystery. The conclusion
they had come to with regard to the meaning of the note was correct: a
tacit understanding had existed for some time among the inner circle of
the Thurstonian party that this should be the signal for a gathering of
the clan; but the note, when Diggory had found it, had been lying in the
impromptu post office for a day and a half, and the meeting to which
it was a summons had already taken place on the previous evening.

For the reader, who is a privileged person, we intend to put back the
clock, and leaving the Triple Alliance dividing their attention between
attempts to discover the meaning, first of their Latin author, and
secondly of the enigma formed by this perplexing single-worded epistle,
we will give a short account of the gathering to which it referred.

It was while the greater number of their school-fellows were gathered in
numerous little groups, whiling away the free time before preparation
discussing the various rumours that were current respecting Mr. Grice's
encounters with Oaks and Allingford, that the same five conspirators
assembled for another secret "confab" in the den beneath the pavilion.

In one way it was a fortunate thing for Diggory that he did not discover
the note sooner, for hardly had Thurston set the lighted candle in the
empty bottle than Noaks picked it up, and peered carefully into each of
the four corners, and behind the heaps of benches and other lumber.

"What are you doing that for?" asked Gull.

"Oh, only to see that no one's come who wasn't invited. D'you remember
last time what a stink there was of a burnt fusee? Well, after you'd
gone I found young Trevanock knocking about the field, and I wouldn't
swear but what he knew something abou