carriers and tradesmen, and, I regret to say, not wholly
unknown to some of the boys of Saint Dominic's, who were foolish enough
to persuade themselves that skittles, and billiards, and beer were
luxuries worth the risk incurred by breaking one of the rules of the
school. No boy was permitted to enter any place of refreshment except a
confectioner's in Maltby under the penalty of a severe punishment, which
might, in a bad case, mean expulsion. Loman, therefore, a monitor and a
Sixth Form boy, had to take more than ordinary precautions to reach the
Cockchafer unobserved, which he succeeded in doing, and to his
satisfaction--as well as to his trepidation--found Mr Cripps the
younger at home.

"Ho, he! my young shaver," was that worthy's greeting, "here you are at
last."

This was not encouraging to begin with. It sounded very much as if Mr
Cripps had been looking forward to this visit. However, Loman put as
bold a face as he could on to it, and replied, "Hullo, Cripps, how are
you? It's a long time since I saw you; jolly day, isn't it?"

"Jolly!" replied Mr Cripps, looking very gloomy, and drawing a glass of
beer for the young gentleman before he ordered it. Loman did not like
it at all. There was something about Cripps's manner that made him feel
very uncomfortable.

"Oh, Cripps," he presently began, in as off-hand a manner as he could
assume under the depressing circumstances--"Oh, Cripps, about that rod,
by the way. I hope you didn't mind my sending it back. The fact is,"
(and here followed a lie which till that moment had not been in the
speaker's mind to tell)--"the fact is, I find I'm to get a present of a
rod this summer at home, or else of course I would have kept it."

Mr Cripps said nothing, but began polishing up a pewter pot with a
napkin.

"I hope you got it back all right," continued Loman, who felt as if he
must say something. "They are such fragile things, you know. I thought
I'd just leave it in the bag and not touch it, but send it straight
back, for fear it should be damaged."

There was a queer smile about Mr Cripps's mouth as he asked, "Then you
didn't have a look at it even?"

"Well, no, I thought I would--I thought I wouldn't run any risk."

Loman was amazed at himself. He had suddenly made up his mind to tell
one lie, but here they were following one after another, as if he had
told nothing but lies all his life! Alas, there was no drawing back
either!

"The fact is," he b