I should have the society of
the sympathetic Sadgrove, who, as I knew, felt as sore as I did about
Potters behaviour.

But, to my mortification as well as perplexity, Sadgrove I found, had
cleared out his desk and removed his goods and chattels to a seat on the
row behind mine, where he appeared to have met with a cordial welcome
from his new neighbours.

I could not make it out. He always told me he liked his desk better
than any, and would not change it even for Browne's. And here he was,
for no apparent reason, on a lower form, at a smaller desk, and in--
well, less select society.

As I sat in my place that morning, with an empty desk on each side of
me, it began slowly to dawn on my mind that something was wrong
somewhere.

The proceedings of Odger junior, Potter, Sadgrove, Williams, and
Harrison, taken singly, were not of much importance, but taken as a
whole I did not like them. I might be wrong. There might be no
intention to cut me, and I could not think of anything I had done or
said which would account for it. I would try, at any rate, to get to
the bottom of it before I was many hours older.

So I went in search of my cousin, who was a few months my senior, and a
particular chum of Williams.

"I say, Arthur, what did Williams cut me dead for this morning?"

Arthur looked uncomfortable and said--

"How should I know?"

"You do know," said I, "and I want to know why."

He coloured up, and made as though he would leave room. But my blood
was up, and I stepped across door.

"Tell me this," I said. "Have these fellows cut on purpose or no?"

"However should--"

"You do know. Are they cutting me or no?"

He flushed up again, and then said hurriedly--

"Yes, we are!"

Sub-Chapter II.

I AM BEATEN.

"Yes, we are."

The reader may think it strange when I tell him that my first sensation
on receiving this momentous announcement was one of almost amusement, I
knew it was a mistake, and that I had done nothing to merit the sentence
which had been passed upon me. Draven's had put itself in the wrong,
and I had pride enough to determine that I of all people was not going
out of my way to put it right.

So I took my cousin's announcement coolly, and refrained from demanding
any further explanations.

"Oh!" I said, with something like a sneer, and walked off; leaving him,
so I flattered myself, rather snubbed.

I was boycotted!

There was something a trifle flattering in the situat