admitted Durville. "I'm wondering
if it has anything to do with choosing the class ring, or selecting
our uniforms for after graduation."

"You simpleton!" cried Jordan in disgust. "You don't see far,
do you? Can't you guess what the meeting is to discuss?"

"I'm blessed if I can."

"Anstey, outside of Holmes, has been the most constant friend of
Prescott. Now, Prescott has his chance of passing, if the class
'silence' on him can be lifted. Anstey is going to sound class
opinion. If the 'silence' can't be lifted, then Prescott is
going to 'fess' down and out, and we shall see the last of him."

"Poor old fellow!" muttered Durville. "Say, do you know, I'm
growing almost sorry for the poor beggar and his long, bitter dose."

"After what he did to you?" demanded Jordan with instant scorn.
"Durville, I thought you a man of spirit."

"May a man of spirit forgive his enemy, especially when he sometimes
doubts whether the other fellow really is an enemy?" demanded
Durville.

"Oh, he may, I suppose," replied Jordan, his lip curling. "On
the whole, however, I am a good deal surprised at seeing you accept
the loss of all your liberties and privileges so easily as you
are doing."

Naturally, the effect of Jordan's words was to kill a good deal
of Durville's fleeting sympathy, for the latter had suffered a
good deal from the restraint of his liberties, following the escapade
for which Dick had reported him.

The meeting in Anstey's room resulted in the secret gathering
of a dozen men. Eight of these were friends of Dick, who would
still like to see the class action reversed or ended. But Anstey
had been clever enough also to invite four men who were numbered
among Prescott's adversaries. One of these was Douglass, the
cadet who had been elected to succeed Dick as class president.

"Now, gentlemen," began Anstey, in his soft voice of ordinary
conversation, "I don't believe we have any need of a presiding
officer in this little meeting. With your permission, I will
state why I have asked you to come here.

"For months, now, we have had a member of this class in Coventry.
Barely more than a majority believed in that Coventry, but once
action had been taken by the class, the disapproving minority
stood loyally by class action. I have been among those of the
minority to abide by majority action, and I can assure you that
I have suffered very nearly as much as has Mr. Prescott, whose
case I am now discussing