t mind telling me
why Percival's to be expelled."

This demand on Waterman's part, made in the most innocent manner, was
met with howls of derision. They could never quite tell from Waterman's
manner whether he was serious or poking fun at them; but this time it
seemed quite clear that he could only be poking fun.

"Yes, that's very musical," proceeded Waterman calmly, when the howling
had subsided. "I couldn't do better myself, if I tried. You're going to
expel Percival because you believe he engineered the flag. That's it,
isn't it?" (Cries of assent.) "Good! I like to get at things," retorted
Waterman, still keeping his languid position on the box. "Engineering
the flag means--what? It means that Percival, by trickery, got it away
from Garside. Is that it?"

"Yes, yes!" came the approving shout.

"Well, vote as you like. Here's one that's going to vote against you."

"Why? What's your reason?"

"Because I happen to remember what happened on the day the flag was
lost. Seems to me most of you have forgotten."

Waterman had started up from his languid position on the box; his face
had lost its wearied, languid expression, and had become quite animated.

"I haven't, and never shall, though I never pretend to remember things;
they're so beastly uninteresting, as a rule. This wasn't. That's why I
remember, I suppose. Well, on the afternoon the flag was lost I was
going from the school, when I nearly ran full tilt against a fellow who
was carrying a little chap, dripping wet, in his arms. The fellow was
Percival; the little chap was Hibbert. You know what happened, though
you seem to have forgotten it. Percival, at the risk of his own life,
saved the little chap from the river."

Stanley's head fell to his breast. The scene came to him as Waterman was
speaking. Had he not met Paul on that day staggering along with his
burden? Had he not avoided him, when he might have given a helping hand?

"What's that to do with it?" demanded Newall. "Supposing Percival did
pull the youngster out of the river, what's that to do with the flag?"

"What's that to do with the flag!" repeated Waterman. "It's this to do
with it--how could Percival be playing tricks with the flag, and fishing
at the same time a poor little chap out of the river? Besides, would a
fellow who'd done a splendid thing like that stoop to such a mean thing
as the other?"

"Yes," retorted Newall boldly. "A fellow who would turn tail like he did
at the sand