t our meeting. I searched the
young beggar's pockets; but he hadn't got any more lights, so I let him
go."

The party grouped themselves round the candle, as they had done on the
previous occasion, when Diggory had watched their movements from behind
the pile of forms, and Thurston, with an inquiring look at Fletcher,
asked, "Well, what's the object of this pleasant little reunion?"

"I suppose you can pretty well guess," answered the other. "The last
time we were here we all agreed that before the end of the term was up
we'd get even chalks with Allingford and Co. Well, seeing there's only
eight days left, I thought it was about time we had another meeting, and
decided what we were going to do.--By-the-bye," added the speaker,
turning with something like a sneer on his lips, and addressing his
chum, "it's the Wraxby match on Saturday; I suppose they haven't asked
you to play in the team?"

The shaft went home, and Thurston's face darkened with anger.

"No," he answered indignantly, "and I wouldn't play, not if they all
went down on their knees and begged me to. What do I care about the
Wraxby match? If I could, I'd put a stopper on it, and bring the whole
thing to the ground."

"Well," continued Fletcher calmly, "that's just what we're going to do.
If you'd asked me this morning how we could put a spoke in Allingford's
wheel, and pay out him and a lot of those other prigs like Oaks and
Rowlands, I couldn't have told you; but now the thing's as easy as pat.
They'll find out they haven't cold-shouldered me at every turn and
corner for nothing. I'll give them tit for tat, and after Christmas,
when I've left this beastly place, I'll write and tell them who did it."

"You seem to have got your back up, old chap," said Thurston, referring
to the bitter tones in which the last few sentences had been spoken;
"but out with it--what's your plan?"

"Why, this: I'd no idea what a chance we should have when I stuck that
note in our pillar-box, but here it is all ready made. Allingford and
Oaks have had a row with little Grice; he's reported them, and it's
quite natural they should want to pay him out for doing it. As they're
such good boys, I don't suppose they'll try anything of the kind; but we
might undertake the job, and do it for them."

The speaker paused to see if he had been understood.

"What!" exclaimed Thurston bluntly, "you mean, play Grice a trick and
make it appear they'd done it because of this rump