t learn to like the Demon," Desmond continued, as they moved
on. Then, as John said nothing, he added quickly, "He and I have made
up our minds not to try for a remove this term. You see, next term is
the jolliest term of the year--cricket and 'Ducker' [1] and Lord's.
And we shall know the form's swat thoroughly, and have time to enjoy
ourselves. You'll be with us. Your remove is a 'cert'--eh?"

John beamed. He had made certain that Caesar would be in the Third
Fifth next term and hopelessly out of reach.

"Oh yes, I shall get my remove. So will the Caterpillar."

"Hang the Caterpillar," said Desmond.

"He'd ask for a silken rope, as Lord Ferrers did," said John, with one
of his unexpected touches of humour. Again Desmond bent his head in
the gesture John knew so well, and laughed.

"I say, Verney, you _are_ a joker. Well, the old Caterpillar's a good
sort, but he's not fair to Scaife. Here we are!"

They ran upstairs to "tosh" and change. John found the Duffer just
slipping out of his ducks. He looked at John with a rueful grin.

"Are you going to chuck me?" he asked.

"Chuck you?"

"Fluff says you've chucked him. He was in here a moment ago to ask if
your nose was squashed. I believe the silly little ass thinks you the
greatest thing on earth."

"I don't chuck anybody," said John, indignantly. And he made a point
of asking Fluff to walk with him on Sunday.

After the Torpid matches the school settled down to train (more or
less) for the athletic sports. John came to grief several times at
Kenton brook, essaying to jump it at places obviously--as the Duffer
pointed out--beyond his stride. The Duffer and he put their names down
for the house-handicaps, and curtailed their visits to the Creameries.
After this self-denial it is humiliating to record that neither boy
succeeded in winning anything. Caesar won the house mile handicap;
Scaife won the under sixteen high jump--a triumph for the Manor; and
Fluff, the despised Fluff, actually secured an immense tankard, which
one of the Sixth offered as a prize because he was quite convinced that
his own particular pal would win it. The distance happened to be half
a mile. Fluff was allowed an enormous start, and won in a canter.

The term came to an end soon after these achievements, and John spent a
week of the holidays at White Ladies, the Duke of Trent's Shropshire
place. Here, for the first time, he saw that august and solemn
personage, a Gr