was
carrying his boots in his hand, it being against the rules for boys to
visit the dormitories between the times of getting up and going to bed.

"I say," he began, "I hope I haven't acted like a sneak. I've been
thinking that perhaps I ought to have come forward and owned up to
having been with you last night, but I'll tell you why I didn't. I
thought perhaps the doctor had asked if any one else had gone, and you
might have said 'No;' and in that case you'd only have got it worse for
not telling the truth. I tried to get to see you before dinner, but I
nearly got caught; and though I've been on the lookout ever since, this
is really the first opportunity. I say, didn't old Smiley notice there
were two of us? or how did it happen that I escaped?"

I told him exactly what had transpired in the course of my examination
by the headmaster.

"You're an awful old brick, Sylvester!" he exclaimed. "It was jolly
good of you to try to keep me out of the scrape when it was really my
doing. All the same, now I know exactly what you said, I shall go to
Bagley and tell him of my share in the business. I can't save you the
thrashing, but he might let you off from staying behind that extra day."

"Don't be a fool!" I cried, catching him by the arm. "It can't make
any difference now. He won't let me off, and you'll only get in a row
yourself. Look here, Miles: you've had trouble enough lately, and I'm
only too glad to have kept you out of this row. If you think you're
indebted to me for a good turn, then do as I ask, and don't go spoiling
it all by getting flogged for nothing."

He laughed, and sat down on the bed by my side.

"You're a regular old brick," he repeated; "and if you really mean it,
why, I'll let sleeping dogs lie. But I wish there was more likelihood
of my being able to do something for you in return. Who knows if we
shall ever meet again? If we are forced to give up Coverthorne, I
think I shall go to sea. I must have an open-air life, and I couldn't
stand being penned up in an office."

We sat silent for a few moments in the gathering darkness, and I must
own to an uncomfortable lump rising in my throat as I strove to find
words in which to reply. We had come as new boys to the school on the
same day, and had been close friends ever since, sharing our joys and
sorrows, and never expecting that a day would come when our
companionship would have a sudden and unlooked-for ending. I should
have lit