e," said Stafford.

"How good of you to come like this!" said the master. "For I wanted to
talk to you. You _must_ care, Stafford, and all of you. You surely
aren't going to give up all the work of these two terms just because a
little misfortune has befallen us?"

"It's not a little misfortune," said Ainger, "but a very great one."

"All the more reason you should not be knocked over by it. Didn't we
all set ourselves to work last term in the face of a big misfortune, and
didn't we get some good out of it for the house? It will be my one
consolation in leaving to feel sure you will not let the work of the
house flag an inch. Remember, Railsford's is committed to the task of
becoming cock house of the school. Our eleven is quite safe. I'm
certain no team in all the rest of the houses put together can beat us.
But you must see we give a good account of ourselves on prize-day too.
Some of the boys have nagged a little lately in work. We must keep them
up to it--not by bullying--nobody will work for that--but by working on
their ambition, and making the cause of each boy the cause of the whole
house."

Railsford, as he uttered these words, seemed to forget how soon he would
have to say "you" instead of "we." He had hardly realised yet what that
meant.

"We'll try hard," said Ainger. "But what we wanted to say, besides
letting you know how sorry we are, was to ask if it's really necessary
for you to go. Is there no way of getting out of it?"

"None at all, that I can see," said Railsford.

"Fellows say you know who it was assaulted Mr Bickers last term and
won't tell. Perhaps it's to save some fellow in the house from being
expelled. But--"

"My dear fellows," said Railsford, "don't let's spoil our last evening
by talking about this miserable affair. I can't tell you anything at
all: I can only ask you to believe I have good reasons for what I'm
doing. They ought to be good reasons, if the price I have to pay is to
leave Grandcourt, and all of you."

It was evidently no use trying to "draw" him further; and as the first
bed bell sounded shortly afterwards, they withdrew after a cordial but
dismal farewell.

"I shall see you again in the morning before I go," said he.

The prefects walked away abstracted and downcast. It was all very well
for him to say, "Keep the work up when I am gone." But how were they to
do it? He was the pivot on which all their work had been turning; and
without him wh