ptied his portmanteau and tossed his belongings into their
respective quarters.

So intent was he on his occupation, that it was a full minute before he
became aware of a small boy standing at his open door, and tapping
modestly. As he looked up and met the eyes of the already doubtful
Dick, both boys inwardly thought, "I rather like that fellow"--a
conclusion which, as far as Dick was concerned, made it still more
difficult for him to broach the subject of his mission.

Cresswell was still kneeling down, so it was impossible to form an
opinion of his legs, but his arms and shoulders certainly did not look
like those of a "snail."

"What do you want, youngster?" said Cresswell.

"Oh," said Dick, screwing himself up to the pitch, "Swinstead told me to
come to you."

"Oh," said the other, in a tone of great interest, "what about?"

"About the--I mean--something about the--the Harriers," said Dick,
suddenly beginning to see things in a new light.

"About the Harriers?" said Cresswell, rising to his feet and lounging up
against the mantel-piece, in order to take a good survey of his visitor.
"What does Mr Swinstead want; to know about the Harriers?"

The sight of the champion there, drawn up to his full height, with power
and speed written on every turn of his figure, sent Dick's mind jumping,
at one bound, to the truth. What an ass he had been going to make of
himself, and what a time he would have had if he hadn't found out the
trick in time! As it was, he could not help laughing at the idea of his
own ridiculous position, and the narrow escape he had had.

"What are you grinning at?" said Cresswell sharply, not understanding
the little burst of merriment in his presence.

Dick recovered himself, and said simply, "They've been trying to make a
fool of me. I beg your pardon for bothering you."

"Hold hard!" said Cresswell, as the boy was about to retreat. "It's
very likely they have made a fool of you--they're used to hard work.
But you're not going to make a fool of me. Come in and tell me all
about it."

Dick coloured up crimson, and threw himself on the monitor's mercy.

"You'll think me such an ass," said he, appealingly. "It's really
nothing."

"I do think you an ass already," said the senior, "so, out with it."

Whereupon Dick, blushing deeply, told him the whole story in a way which
quite captivated the listener by its artlessness.

"They said you were an awful muff, and couldn't run any fa