and-six.
Perhaps if we gave him that, he'd wait for the rest."

"You're an awful brick," said poor Coote, gratefully. "If it hadn't
been for you and Georgie, I don't know what I should have done."

Dick started and coloured.

"Is he in it? Does he know about it?" he asked.

"Yes, Dick," said Coote, feeling rather in a hobble. "I--thought, you
know, I'd better tell him."

"What did he say?"

"Oh, not much; that is, he said he'd help me if he could. But--I don't
see how he can."

"He might be able to lend you enough to make up the price," said Dick,
after a pause.

"I know he would, he's such a brick--that is," added the wretched Coote,
correcting himself, "you're both such bricks."

Dick made no answer, but walked off, musing to himself.

"Both bricks!" And yet poor Coote had to blush when he mentioned the
name of one brick to the other! Dick was getting tired of this.

He retired to the school, to think over what could be done, and was
about to ascend the stairs, when the familiar form of Georgie appeared
coming to meet him.

"Georgie, Coote's in an awful mess; I vote we back him up."

"So do I, rather, old man."

And they went off arm-in-arm to find him.

Check to you, Pledge!

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

HOW OUR HEROES FALL OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE.

Templeton opened its eyes as it saw David and Jonathan walking together
across the fields that afternoon. The Den, with native quickness of
perception, instantly snuffed a battle in the air, and dogged the heels
of the champions with partisan shouts and cheers.

"Dick will finish him in a round and a half," shouted Raggles.

"Don't you be too cock-sure," cried Gosse, "Georgie's got a neat
'square-fender' on him, and I rather fancy him best myself."

Gosse had not the ghost of a notion what a "square-fender" was; nor had
anyone else. But the word carried weight, and there was a run on
Georgie accordingly.

Raggles, however, was not to be snuffed out too easily.

"Bah!" shouted he, "what's the use of a 'square-fender,' when Dick can
get down his 'postman's knock' over the top, and blink his man into
fits."

After that Georgie was nowhere. A fellow who can "blink" his man with a
"postman's knock," no matter what it means, is worth half-a-dozen
"square-fenders." And so Dick became a favourite, and the event was
considered as good as settled.

Which was just as well; for our heroes, as they walked in search of
Coote, could no