ike--but don't have me
expelled, Riddell. Think of them all at home, what a state they would
be in! I know I deserve it; but can't you get me out of it?"

"If you were to go to the doctor and tell him everything--" began
Riddell.

"Oh, that's just what I can't do!" exclaimed Wyndham. "I'd do it like a
shot if it was only myself in it. I don't know how you found it all
out, I'm sure; but I can't go and tell the doctor, even if it was to get
me off being expelled."

It was no use going on like this. Riddell was getting unmanned every
moment, and Wyndham by these wild appeals was only prolonging the agony.

"Wyndham, old fellow," said the captain, in tones full of sympathy and
pity, "if I had dreamt all this was to happen I would never have come to
Willoughby at all. I know what troubles you have had this term, and how
bravely you have been trying to turn over a new leaf. I'd give anything
to be able to help you out of this, but I tell you plainly I don't see
how to do it. If you like, I'll go with you to the doctor, and--"

"No, no!" exclaimed Wyndham, wildly, "I can't do that! I can't do
that!"

"Then," said Riddell, gravely, "I must go to him by myself."

Wyndham looked up and tried to speak, and then fairly broke down.

"If the honour of the whole school were not involved--"

Wyndham looked up in a startled way. "The honour of the school? What
has it got to do with my going to--"

What strange fatality was there about Riddell's study-door that it
always opened at the most inopportune times?

Just as Wyndham began to speak it opened again, and Bloomfield, of all
persons, appeared.

"I want to speak to you, Riddell," he said.

The words were uttered before he had noticed that the captain was not
alone, or that his visitor was young Wyndham, in a state of great
distress--hardly greater than that of Riddell himself.

As soon as he did perceive it he drew back, and said, "I beg your
pardon; I didn't know any one was here."

"I'll go," said Wyndham, hurriedly, going to the door, and hardly
lifting his eyes from the ground as he passed.

Bloomfield could hardly help noticing his strange appearance, or
wondering at it.

"Anything wrong with young Wyndham?" said he, not sorry to have some way
of breaking the ice.

"He's in trouble," said the captain. "Won't you sit down?"

It was a very long time since the head of Parrett's and the captain of
the school had met in this polite way. But Bloomf