w it well. Wyndham when first he
possessed it was never tired of flourishing it proudly before all his
acquaintances, and finding some pretext for using it or lending it every
five minutes of the day.

Riddell had often had it pressed upon him. Yes, and now, with a shock
that was almost sickening, he recollected that he had had it in his hand
that very night before the boat-race.

And with the thought there rushed in upon him the whole memory of that
evening. How excited, how restless the boy had been, how impossible he
had found it to work, how wildly he had talked about the coming race,
and how he had set his mind on the schoolhouse boat winning. Riddell
remembered every word of it now, and how Wyndham's excitement had
baulked him of his desire for a serious talk that evening. And then he
remembered how abruptly the boy had left him, returning hurriedly a
moment after for his knife--this very knife which less than two hours
afterwards had been dropped on the boat-house floor in the culprit's
hurried retreat by the window!

Riddell felt literally sick as it all rushed through his mind at the
sight of the knife in Tom's hand.

"Have you seen it enough?" demanded the youth, still eyeing the half-
crown.

"Yes," murmured Riddell. And surely he never uttered a truer word.

Tom, startled by his voice, looked up.

"Hullo," said he, "what's up? One would think you'd never saw a knife
afore!"

Riddell tried feebly to smile and recover himself.

"Tell you what," said Tom, struck with a brilliant idea--"tell you what,
governor. You lay another two bob on the top of that there half-a-crown
and it's your's. Come!"

Riddell mechanically took out his purse and produced the florin. It was
almost the last coin that remained of his pocket-money for that term,
but he was too miserable even to think of that.

Tom grabbed at the money eagerly, and deposited the knife in Riddell's
hand in exchange.

Then, with a load on his heart such as he had never felt before, the
captain turned the boat's head and rowed slowly back to Willoughby.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

THE ROCKSHIRE MATCH.

Riddell was not destined to have much leisure during the next few days
for indulging his misery or making up his mind in what direction his
duty lay.

As he reached the school after his memorable excursion on the river, he
was met by Fairbairn, who had evidently been on the lookout for him.

"Why, where have you been? and what's