for fear he should go to sleep. Dr Rowlands came round as usual at
eleven, and then Eric closed his eyes for a few minutes, till the
head-master had disappeared. After that he lay awake thinking for an
hour, but his thoughts weren't very pleasant.

At twelve he went and awoke Wildney.

"I don't feel very sleepy. Shall I sit with you for your hour,
Charlie?"

"Oh, do! I should like it of all things. But douse the glim there; we
shan't want it, and it might give the alarm."

"All right."

So Eric went and sat by his dangerous little friend, and they talked in
low voices until they heard the great school-clock strike one. They
then woke Pietrie, and Eric went off to bed again.

At three Graham awoke him, and dressing hastily, he joined the others in
the lavatory.

"Now I'm going to get the key," said Wildney, "and mean to feel very
poorly for the purpose."

Laughing quietly, he went up to the door of Mr Harley's bedroom, which
opened out of the lavatory, and knocked.

No answer.

He knocked a little louder.

Still no answer.

Louder still.

"Bother the fellow," said Wildney; "he sleeps like a grampus. Won't one
of you try to wake him?"

"No," said Graham; "'tain't dignified."

"Well, I must try again." But it seemed no use knocking, and Wildney at
last, in a fit of impatience, thumped a regular tattoo on the bedroom
door.

"Who's there?" said the startled voice of Mr Harley.

"Only me, sir!" answered Wildney, in a mild and innocent way.

"What do you want?"

"Please, sir, I want the key of the lavatory. I want to see the doctor.
I'm indisposed," said Wildney again, in a tone of such disciplined
suavity, that the others shook with laughing.

Mr Harley opened the door about an inch, and peered out suspiciously.

"Oh, well, you must go and awake Mr Rose. I don't happen to have the
key to-night." And so saying, he shut the door.

"Phew! Here's a go!" said Wildney, recovering immediately. "It'll
never do to awake old Rose. He'd smell a rat in no time."

"I have it," said Pietrie. "I've got an old nail, with which I believe
I can open the lock quite simply. Let's try."

"Quietly and quick, then," said Eric.

In ten minutes he had silently shot back the lock with the old nail, and
the boys were on the landing.

They carried their shoes in their hands, ran noiselessly down stairs,
and went to the same window at which Eric and Wildney had got out
before. Wildney had taken care be