was asleep, little dreaming what its captain did, he went to that Friend
and told Him all his difficulties about Welch's, and his anxieties about
young Wyndham, and even his unhappiness about the boat-race; and in
doing so found himself wonderfully cheered and ready to face the new
duty, and even hopeful of success.

Next morning he went to the doctor and told him he was ready to enter on
his new duties. Dr Patrick was not the man to flatter his head boy or
to inspire him with undue hopes; but he was undoubtedly gratified by the
decision, and Riddell felt encouraged in the consciousness of his
sympathy.

At call-over that evening the Welchers had the pleasure of being
informed by the doctor of the new arrangements proposed for their
welfare, and, it need hardly be said, were considerably moved thereby.

At first they were disposed to regard the affair as a joke and a capital
piece of fun. But when that evening Riddell put in an appearance at
supper, in their house, and when Telson was intercepted bringing over
his late master's goods and chattels to the study next but one to that
of Silk, they began to take the matter in rather more seriously.

For the first time for a long while Welch's house seemed to be of one
mind--a mind made up of equal mixtures of resentment and amazement and
amusement. Probably, had they been more accustomed to thinking
together, they would have summoned a monster meeting, as Parrett's would
have done, to discuss the situation. As it was, they resolved
themselves into several small groups, each of which dealt with the topic
of the hour in its own way.

The juniors of course had a good deal to say on the subject. Pilbury,
Cusack, Philpot, Morgan, and a few other kindred spirits held a council
of war in the study of the two former immediately after supper.

"Rum start this, eh, Pil!" said Cusack, by way of opening proceedings.

"You know," said Pil, confidentially, "I'm not surprised. He made such
a regular mess of it in the schoolhouse."

"Don't know what's the good of his coming here, then," said Philpot;
"our fellows aren't a bit quieter than the schoolhouse."

No one was bold enough to dispute this peculiarly modest description of
the order of Welch's house.

"I wonder if he's been kicked out of the captaincy as well?" asked
Cusack, who was apparently convinced in his own mind that the new move
was a degradation for Riddell.

"I don't know," said Morgan; "Paddy said somethin