h he usually felt in the presence of
his other fellow-seniors. He looked upon Silk both as an enemy to
Willoughby and as the evil genius of young Wyndham, and therefore was by
no means disposed to beg his pardon or consult his pleasure in the new
order of things at Welch's.

"I hear the juniors have been saying something to you about starting the
cricket club," said Silk, in tones which were the reverse of
conciliatory.

"Yes," said Riddell; "or, rather, I suggested it to them."

"You did! All I can say is, it's like your impudence. Welch's is come
to a pretty pass if _you're_ sent here to look after our athletics."

Riddell did not feel called upon to reply to this, and Silk therefore
continued, "Don't you know Tucker and I have been captains of the clubs
here for the last two years?"

"I was told so."

"Then what business have you to interfere?"

"There was no house club at all this year."

"A lot _you_ care about the cricket. I know well enough it's just a
canting dodge for snubbing Tucker and me before the fellows, nothing
more."

"You're quite mistaken," replied Riddell.

"Oh, of course! You'd like to make out that you care a fig about
cricket. You who couldn't even bowl a ball from one end of the wickets
to the other!"

There seemed nothing particular to reply to in this, so Riddell remained
silent. This only irritated Silk the more, who felt that he was by no
means getting the best of it.

"You'd better stop this sort of thing at once," he said, viciously.
"You're sent here to look after the morals of the house, not to
interfere with what doesn't concern you. Tucker and I can look after
the cricket without you."

"Are you and Tucker going to start the old club again, then?" asked
Riddell quietly.

"Whatever business of yours is it whether we are or aren't? Find out."

"That's what I'm trying to do. If you are, I'll advise the other
fellows to join it and not have two clubs."

"_You_ advise the fellows!" sneered Silk; "they don't want a schoolhouse
prig like you to advise them."

It was evidently no use trying to conciliate a fellow like this, and
Riddell began to get tired of the interview.

"I don't want to offend you or anybody," said he boldly; "but if you and
Tucker won't take the trouble to start the club, I don't see that all
the house is to be done out of their cricket in consequence. The
fellows have little enough to keep them together as it is."

"You are a nice _litt