going to win the juniors' match, Parson? Our fellows quite think they
are."

"Yes," said Parson, contemptuously; "I heard they had cheek enough to
say so. But they'll be disappointed for once."

"Well," said Riddell, "they've been practising pretty steadily of late.
They're not to be despised. Whatever has become of the juniors' eleven
in the schoolhouse, Telson?"

"Can't make out," replied Telson; "they're an awful set of louts this
year; only one or two good men in the lot. I don't think they can
scrape up an eleven."

"Ah!" said the captain, seeing his chance; "you've lost a good many good
fellows. Wyndham, for one, has got up into the second-eleven, I hear."

"Yes," said Parson; "and jolly cocky he is about it, too!"

"He's not been down at the practices lately, though," said Telson,
colouring slightly, and for no apparent reason.

"Why? Is he seedy?" said the captain.

"Eh! No; I don't think so. Wyndham's not seedy, is he, should you
think, Parson?"

"No," said Parson, exchanging uncomfortable glances with his ally; "not
exactly seedy."

"It'll be a pity if he doesn't get playing in the Templeton match," said
Riddell.

Would the fish bite? If the diary had spoken true, these two boys were
at present very full of Wyndham's affair, and a trifle indignant with
the captain himself for his supposed intention of reporting that youth's
transgression at headquarters. If that were so, Riddell considered it
possible that, after their honest fashion, they might take upon
themselves to give him a piece of their mind, which was exactly what he
wanted.

"The fact is," said Telson, "Parson and I both think he's down in the
mouth."

"Indeed?" asked the captain, busily buttering a fresh slice of toast.

"Yes. Haven't you seen it?" asked Parson.

"He's in a funk about something or other," said Telson.

It was getting near now!

"What about, do you know?" asked the captain.

"Why, you know," said Telson. "About being expelled, you know."

"Expelled! What for?" asked Riddell; and the boy's reply gave him a
satisfaction quite out of proportion to its merits.

"About Beamish's, you know," said Telson, confidentially; "he thinks
you're going to report him."

"And he's bound to get expelled if you do," said Parson.

"And how do you know about it?" asked the captain, quietly.

"Oh! you know, Parson and I spotted them--that is, Gilks and Silk and
him--that night of Brown's party. But we never told