boat. Nobody else
had come into the inn. Suspicion obviously rested upon them.

"Do you remember anything about them?" asked Sheen.

Further details came out. One of the pair had worn a cap like Sheen's.
The other's headgear, minutely described, showed him that its owner was
a member of the school second eleven.

Sheen pursued the inquiry. He would be so late in any case that a
minute or so more or less would make no material difference; and he was
very anxious to find out, if possible, who it was that had placed him
in this difficulty. He knew that he was unpopular in the school, but he
had not looked for this sort of thing.

Then somebody suddenly remembered having heard one of the pair address
the other by name.

"What name?" asked Sheen.

His informant was not sure. Would it be Lindon?

"Linton," said Sheen.

That was it.

Sheen thanked him and departed, still puzzled. Linton, as he knew him,
was not the sort of fellow to do a thing like that. And the other, the
second eleven man, must be Dunstable. They were always about together.
He did not know much about Dunstable, but he could hardly believe that
this sort of thing was his form either. Well, he would have to think of
that later. He must concentrate himself now on covering the distance to
the school in the minimum of time. He looked at his watch. Twenty
minutes more. If he hurried, he might not be so very late. He wished
that somebody would come by in a cart, and give him a lift.

He stopped and listened. No sound of horse's hoof broke the silence. He
walked on again.

Then, faint at first, but growing stronger every instant, there came
from some point in the road far behind him a steady droning sound. He
almost shouted with joy. A motor! Even now he might do it.

But could he stop it? Would the motorist pay any attention to him, or
would he flash past and leave him in the dust? From the rate at which
the drone increased the car seemed to be travelling at a rare speed.

He moved to one side of the road, and waited. He could see the lights
now, flying towards him.

Then, as the car hummed past, he recognised its driver, and put all he
knew into a shout.

"Bruce!" he cried.

For a moment it seemed as if he had not been heard. The driver paid not
the smallest attention, as far as he could see. He looked neither to
the left nor to right. Then the car slowed down, and, backing, came
slowly to where he stood.

"Hullo," said the driver, "who's th