and liveliest fellows in Willoughby. Although his principles had never
been lofty, his spirits always used to be excellent, and those who knew
him best could scarcely recognise now in the anxious, spiritless monitor
the companion whose shout and laugh had been so familiar only a few
months ago.

Among those who met him this afternoon was Wibberly. Wibberly, like
Gilks, felt very little interest in the juniors' match. He was one of
the small party who yesterday had come in for such a smart snubbing from
Bloomfield, and the only way to show his sense of the ingratitude of
such treatment, especially towards an old toady like himself, was to
profess no interest in an event which was notoriously interesting the
Parretts' captain.

So Wibberly strolled down that afternoon to the river, and naturally met
Gilks.

The two were not by any means chums--indeed, they were scarcely to be
called friends. But they had one considerable bond of sympathy in a
common dislike for the schoolhouse, and still more for Riddell. Gilks,
as the reader knows, was anything but a loyal schoolhouse man, and ever
since he became a monitor had cast in his lot with the rival house. So
that he was generally considered, and considered himself to be, quite as
much of a Parrett as a "schoolhouser."

"So you are not down looking at the little boys?" said Wibberly.

"No," said Gilks.

"Awful rot," said Wibberly, "making all that fuss about them!"

"Pleases them and doesn't hurt us," replied Gilks.

"In my opinion it's all a bit of vanity on the part of Riddell. He'd
like to make every one think he has been coaching his kids, and this is
just a show-off."

"Well, let him show off; who cares?" growled Gilks.

"All very well. He ought to be hooted round the school instead of
flashing it there in the Big, the hypocritical cad!"

"Well, why don't you go and do it?" said Gilks; "you'd get plenty to
join you."

"Would I? No, I wouldn't. Even Bloomfield's taking his part--he's
gammoned him somehow."

"Well, that doesn't prevent your going and hooting him, does it?" said
Gilks, with a sneer. "You've a right to enjoy yourself as well as any
one else."

"What! have you come round to worship his holiness too?" asked Wibberly,
who had at least expected some sympathy from Gilks.

"Not exactly!" said Gilks, bitterly; "but I've come round to letting the
cad alone. What's the good of bothering?"

"And you mean to say you'd let him go on knowin