hat the mystery was cleared up.

"Come and let's see what it's all about," said Smedley to Branscombe.

Both the seniors had been fretting all the afternoon with a sense of
something gone wrong at Grandcourt, the former with just a little
indignation that he, the captain of the school, should be kept in the
dark, along with everybody else, on the subject.

"I ought to work," said Branscombe; "you go and _tell_ me what's up."

"Why, I thought you were as anxious as anyone to know?"

"So I am," said Branscombe, who to do him justice looked thoroughly
worried; "but you know while there's this row on between the two houses
I--I don't care to go over there without being asked."

"_I_ asked you, didn't I?" said Smedley. "You're not afraid of being
eaten up, are you? Never mind. I'll brave the wild beasts myself, and
let you know how I get on."

It was the rule at Grandcourt that after dark no boy from one house
might enter another without permission. Smedley therefore went straight
to Railsford.

"May I go and see Ainger, please, sir?"

"Certainly. And, Smedley," said the master, as the captain retired,
"look in here for a moment as you go out. I want to see you about the
sports."

Smedley found Ainger alone, and heard from him a full, true, and
particular account of the day's events.

The captain's wrath was unbounded.

"What!" he exclaimed, "cut all of you out of the sports and everything!
I say, Ainger, it must be stopped, I tell you. I'll go to the doctor."

"Might as well go to the unicorn over the gate," said Ainger.

"Can't you find the fellows?"

"That's just it. There's not even a fellow in the house I can suspect
so far."

"You feel sure it's one of your fellows?"

"It couldn't be anyone else. Roe's and Grover's fellows never come over
our side, and never have anything to do with Bickers. And it's hardly
likely any of Bickers's fellows would have done it. In fact, ever since
Bickers came in here the other night and thrashed one of our fellows,
the two houses have been at daggers drawn."

"So Branscombe said. He didn't seem to care about coming in with me. I
asked him."

"I don't wonder. Some of the young fools down there would give him a
hot reception for no other reason than that he belongs to Bickers's
house."

"I don't fancy he's proud of that distinction," said Smedley, laughing.
"But, I say, can't anything be done?"

"Nothing; unless Railsford can do anything."

"Rails