ries,
most of which meant nothing at all, and which seemed more like the
symptoms of a disease than the healthy productions of a sane boy.

In this one case, however, there seemed to be some method in the
author's madness, and he had given a clue so important that Riddell, in
pondering over it that evening and calculating its true value, was very
nearly being late for the doctor's tea at seven o'clock.

However, he came to himself just in time to decorate his person, and
hurry across the quadrangle before the clock struck.

On his way over he met Parson and Telson, walking arm-in-arm. Although
the same spectacle had met his eyes on an average twice every day that
term, and was about the commonest "show" in Willoughby, the sight of the
faithful pair at this particular time when the revelations of Bosher's
diary were tingling in his ears impressed the captain. Indeed, it
impressed him so much that, at the imminent risk of being late for the
doctor's tea, he pulled up to speak to them.

Parson, as became a loyal Parrett, made as though he would pass on, but
Telson held him back.

"I say, you two," said Riddell, "will you come to breakfast with me to-
morrow morning after chapel?"

And without so much as waiting for a reply, he bolted off, leaving his
two would-be guests a trifle concerned as to his sanity.

The clock was beginning to strike as Riddell knocked at the doctor's
door, and began at length to realise what he was in for.

He did not know whether to be thankful or not that Bloomfield and
Fairbairn would be there to share his misery. They would be but two
extra witnesses to his sufferings, and their tribulations were hardly
likely to relieve his.

However, there was one comfort. He might have a chance before the
evening was over of telling Bloomfield that he now had every reason to
believe his suspicions about the culprit had been wrong.

How thankful he was he had held out against the temptation to name poor
Wyndham two days ago!

"Well, Riddell, how are you?" said the doctor, in his usual genial
fashion. "I think you have met these ladies before. Mr Riddell--my
dear--Miss Stringer. These gentlemen you have probably seen before
also. Ha! ha!"

Riddell saluted the ladies very much as he would have saluted two mad
dogs, and nodded the usual Willoughby nod to his two fellow-monitors,
who having already got over the introductions had retreated to a safe
distance.

A common suffering is the sur