to Garside after vac. The first little chap I came across was a
fresher--a poor, weak, lonely little chap, who hadn't a chum in the
school. I thought of your brother. My heart went out to the boy, and I
said to myself: 'By God's help, I'll stand by you; and I'll be your
friend!'"

"That was noble of you!" said Wyndham, clasping Paul's hand in his. "Who
is the little chap? Is he still at Garside?"

"Still at Garside!" repeated Paul, in tones that had died away almost to
a whisper. "He's the little chap I fished out of the river."

"Ah, then, you've nobly redeemed your promise. You saved his life."

"I cannot say. He is still in bed--still very weak; but the link between
us kept me strong when all Garside was against me. Once or twice it
seemed more than I could stand, and I had serious thoughts of throwing
up the sponge and clearing out of Garside. What was there to keep me
there? Then I thought of Hibbert, and the thought made me strong again.
So I kept on, and weathered the storm--or, rather, am still weathering
it. The thought of the little chap kept me to my duty."

Once more there was silence between them. Wyndham had tucked his arm in
Paul's. The two were walking along the road to Cranstead Common. The
bond of sympathy between them had grown stronger and stronger during
those brief moments in which they had bared their hearts to each other.

"About this flag," broke in Wyndham. "Do you know for certain that it's
been taken by some fellow here?"

"No; it's only a suspicion. I may be wrong, but I don't think I am."

"When was it missed?"

"On that afternoon when the accident took place on the river. It was a
half-holiday at both schools. It was waving over the turret when I left
the school; it had gone when I came back."

"That's over a week ago, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"The fellow who took it must have had plenty of pluck. Well, if I can do
anything in fairness to get you your flag back again, I'll do it; but at
present it's as great a mystery to me as to you."

The two shook hands and parted.

Plunger and Harry had crept through a hedge, and witnessed a good deal
of the interview that had taken place between the two, without hearing
anything. When the two passed down the road--Wyndham with his arm linked
in Paul's--Plunger and Harry prepared to follow them; but before they
could move a step they were seized by the legs and thrown to the ground.

"Those Gargoyles!" The words were enough. They were in t