it. Go to your rooms."

"What's to become of the ring!" said Dig disconsolately, as he and
Arthur sat and cooled themselves in their study. "Mr Trinket won't
take it back. He'd no business to cut up rough like that."

"Fact is," replied Arthur, "Marky's got to draw the line somewhere. He
knows he's in a jolly row about that business, you know, and he doesn't
want a testimonial for it. I don't blame him. I'll get Daisy to buy
the ring in the holidays, and we can have the fellows to a blow-out next
term with the money."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

THE SECRET OUT.

"If you please, sir, would you mind coming to see one of the young
gentlemen in our house before you start? He don't seem himself."

The speaker was Mrs Phillips, the dame of Bickers's house, and the
individual she addressed was Mark Railsford, who, with his portmanteau
on the steps beside him, was impatiently awaiting the cab which should
take him from Grandcourt for the Easter holidays. The place was as
empty and deserted as on that well-remembered day when he came down--
could it be only the beginning of this present term?--to enter upon his
new duties at the school. The boys, as was their wont, had almost
without exception left by the eight o'clock train, Arthur and Dig being
among the foremost. The few who had remained to finish their packing
had followed by the ten o'clock. The doctor and his niece had left for
town last night; the other masters had made an early start that morning;
and Railsford, junior master, and consequently officer of the guard for
the day, imagined himself, as he stood there with his portmanteau about
two o'clock, the "last of the Mohicans."

"Who is it?" he said, as the cab rumbled through the gateway.

"It's Mr Branscombe, sir. He overslep' hisself, as the way of speaking
is, and as there was no call-over, and all the young gentlemen were in a
rush, nobody noticed it. But when I went to make the beds, I finds him
still in 'is, and don't like the looks of 'im. Anyhow, sir, if you'd
come and take a look at him--"

Railsford looked up at the school clock. He could catch the 2.30 train
if he left in five minutes. If he lost that train he would have to wait
till six. He told the cabman to put the portmanteau on the top, and
wait for him at the door of Bickers's house, and then walked after Mrs
Phillips, rather impatiently.

He had never set foot in Mr Bickers's house before, and experienced a
curious sensation