aimed Parson, aghast.

"My eye, what a row there'll be," groaned Telson. "I've been late for
call-over twice this week already, and I'm certain to get reported now!"

"So shall I be," said Bosher.

"It's all a vile dodge of those schoolhouse cads," exclaimed King. "I
mean," said he (perceiving that Telson was about to make a remark), "of
those cads. They did it on purpose to make us late. I see it all now.
And then they'll report us. Ugh! did you ever know such blackguards?"

The discovery was too late to be any good--that is, as far as the hope
of reaching Willoughby before call-over was concerned. However, it
warned them the sooner they turned now the sooner they would get back at
all. So they turned viciously and started homewards.

The rowers were all too tired and enraged to talk much, and the journey
down stream was silent and gloomy. They heard, about a mile from home,
the school bell ringing for call-over, and groaned inwardly when
presently it ceased, and they knew their names were being called over
and not one of them there to answer. Parson alone made any attempt to
keep up the drooping spirits of his crew.

"Never fear. We'll pay them out, you see. And if they do report us
we'll only get impots. The beasts! I wish we'd run into them and
drowned them all! so I do."

At this point the speaker became aware of an outrigger skiff rapidly
approaching them. The rower of course had his back turned, and
evidently not expecting anything ahead, was steering himself "over his
toes," as the term is--that is by some landmark behind the boat. Who he
was Parson could not make out, but he wore a light-blue ribbon on his
straw, and that was enough. Light-blue was the schoolhouse colour.
Here was a chance of paying out of the enemy, anyhow!

So he ordered his men to "easy all" and allow the unconscious sculler to
come close up. Then when he was within a few yards he started up, and
with a wild shout of, "Yah booh, cad!" gave the signal to his crew to
pull on, and brought his boat close alongside the skiff. The rower,
startled by the sudden shout, turned quickly round.

Horror of horrors! It was Mr Parrett himself!

There was no time to do anything. At the instant he turned, his left
scull came into violent contact with the oars of the Noah's Ark, and was
jerked from his hand, and at the same time the light boat gave a violent
lurch over and capsized, sending her occupant headlong into the river!