-you, Caesar, and you, Jonathan--and he's letting the others
slide."

"Giving 'em rope," said John, "to hang 'emselves."

"Well, now, there's something in that. That hadn't occurred to me. What?
You think that he's eggin' 'em on, eh? Eggin' 'em on!"

"I think that, if I were you, Caterpillar, I'd cut loose from that
gang."

"They've made it rather warm for you."

"I don't care a hang about that."

As a matter of fact, John's life had been made very unpleasant by the
fast set. Upon the other hand, the Duffer, Fluff, and many Lower School
boys reckoned him their leader and adviser. And--such is the irony of
Fate--John's popularity with friends caused him more anxiety than
unpopularity with enemies. Towards the end of the term, Desmond spoke of
applying to Warde for a certain room to be shared by himself and John.
John had to decline an arrangement desired passionately, because he had
indiscreetly promised not to chuck the Duffer. Caesar dropped the
subject. After this, John noticed a slight coldness. He wondered whether
Caesar were jealous, jealousy being John's own besetting sin. Finally, he
came to the conclusion that his friend might be not jealous but
unreasonable. In any case, during the last three weeks of the term, John
saw less of Caesar, and more--more, indeed, than he wanted--of the Duffer
and Fluff.

And then came the paralysing news that Desmond had promised to spend ten
days with Scaife's people, that a Professional had been hired, and that
both boys were going to give their undivided energies to cricket.

Afterwards, John often wondered whether Scaife, with truly demoniac
insight into Desmond's character, had let him go, so as to seize him
with more tenacious grasp when an opportunity presented itself.

* * * * *

As soon as John saw Caesar after the Easter holidays, he knew that,
temporarily, at any rate, he had lost his friend. Caesar, indeed, was
demonstratively glad to see him, and dragged him off next day to walk to
a certain bridge where a few short weeks before the boys had carved
their names upon the wooden railing, surrounding them with a circle and
the Crossed Arrows. But Caesar could talk of nothing else but Scaife and
cricket. They had both "come on" tremendously. Scaife's people had a
splendid cricket-ground.

Poor John! If he could have submerged the Scaife cricket-ground and the
Scaife family by nodding his head, I fear that he would have nodded it,