d; "have you come to
see the practice? We're going to play a scratch match with some of the
seniors. You play too, will you?"

The captain did not reply to this invitation, and his serious face
convinced Wyndham something must be wrong.

"What's up, I say?" he inquired, looking concerned.

"Nothing very pleasant," said Riddell. "You heard of the fight last
night?"

"Eh? between Silk and Gilks? Yes. I half guessed it would come to
that. They've been quarrelling a lot lately."

"I reported them, and they are to go to the doctor's after breakfast,"
said Riddell.

"They'll catch it, I expect," said Wyndham. "Paddy's sure to be down on
them because they're seniors."

"They expect to catch it. At least, Silk says so. He came to me last
night and tried to get me to withdraw the names. And when I said I
couldn't be threatened to tell about you, and get you into a row."

Wyndham's face changed colour.

"What? I say, do you think he really will?" he exclaimed.

"I think it's very likely," said the captain.

"Of course, you can't withdraw the names?" said the boy.

"I've no right to do it--no, I can't," replied the captain.

"Oh, of course. But I say, what had I better do?" faltered the boy. "I
hoped that bother was all over."

"I would advise you to go to the doctor before chapel and tell him
yourself."

The boy's face fell.

"How can I? I promised I wouldn't, and Silk wouldn't let me off when I
asked him."

"But he is going to tell of you, he says. You had much better let the
doctor hear it from you than from him."

"If only I could!" exclaimed the boy; "but how can I?"

"I don't want to persuade you to break a promise," said the captain,
"but I'm sorry for it."

"I suppose I'm sure to get expelled," said the boy, dismally; "they're
sure to make it as bad against me as they can."

Riddell reflected a little, and then said, "Perhaps it's only a threat,
and no more. At any rate, if the doctor is told he is sure to give you
a chance of telling him everything, so don't give up hope, old man."

Poor Wyndham did not look or feel very hopeful certainly as he thought
over the situation.

"Thanks for telling me about it, anyhow," said he. "I say, shall you be
there to hear what they say?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. But if you are sent for let me know,
and I'll go with you."

With this grain of comfort the captain went, leaving Wyndham anything
but disposed to show up at the cric