o
hasten through that part of the grounds which lay between him and the
road, when he drew back suddenly. A boy was staggering along in the
direction of the schoolhouse with a burden of some sort in his arms.

"My stars! Another moment and he would have seen me!" thought Crick,
with a breath of relief. "What's he got in his arms, I wonder? Looks
like another chap, as though they'd been in the wars together."

It was Paul, hastening to the school with Hibbert. In another minute he
had passed by where Crick was hiding. Then Crick heard voices. It was
Paul speaking to Waterman at the school door. The listener caught the
word "accident." The next moment Waterman darted past him. The coast
being again clear, Crick promptly followed in Waterman's footsteps. He
was not long in reaching the hedge behind which Mellor was awaiting
him.

"Got it?" was the eager question.

"Yes. Look!"

Mellor could have shouted with joy. Was it possible that the flag was
actually in their possession?

"Bravo, Crick! It's the biggest thing we've ever scored over the
Gargoyles. My! won't they be savage! There'll be no holding them in when
they find their flag's gone. But what's up? There's been an accident of
some sort."

"I know there has. I nearly ran into a fellow who was carrying a kid in
his arms. Luckily I pulled up in time. Who were they--do you know?"

"One was Percival, the fellow who skedaddled from Wyndham at the
sand-pit. I don't know the kid he had in his arms, he must be a
fresher."

"A fresher! He wasn't much of a fresher to look at. He looked like a
drowned rat."

The two returned to St. Bede's by the longest but less frequented way,
and at length reached it without further adventure. They determined to
hide the flag for the time being, and to confide the secret to their own
Form only--the Fourth.

The Fourth was very jubilant, as may be imagined, at the feat performed
by Crick and Mellor, who were at once looked upon as heroes. The flag,
meanwhile, had been hidden in a barn, standing in a field near St.
Bede's, belonging to a father of one of the day boys in Mellor's Form.

Frequently they met in the barn, and withdrawing the flag from its
hiding-place, stuck it in the centre of the floor, and danced round it
like a band of wild Indians celebrating a victory.

Things were at this pass when Paul came to the decision to visit St.
Bede's, to see if he could obtain information as to the missing flag.
Plunger and Moncri