, he was a hero. Every one seemed to take an interest in his black
eye and sore cheek, from Mr Rastle downwards. Very likely that fight
of his with Loman yesterday would be recorded as long as Saint Dominic's
remained, as the event which saved the lower school from the tyranny of
the upper!

His way to the chemist's lay past the turning up to the Cockchafer, and
the idea occurred to him to turn in on the way back and talk over the
event of the hour with Mr Cripps, whom he had not seen since the
bagatelle-lesson a week ago. He was sure that good gentleman would
sympathise with him, and most likely praise him; and in any case it
would be only civil, after promising to come and see him sometimes, to
look in.

The only thing was that the Cockchafer, whatever one might say about it,
was a public-house. The private door at the side hardly sufficed to
satisfy Stephen that he was not breaking rules by going in. He would
not have entered by the public door for worlds, and the thought did
occur to him, Was there very much difference after all between one door
and the other? However, he had not answered the question before he
found himself inside, shaking hands with Mr Cripps.

That gentleman was of course delighted, and profuse in his gratitude to
the "young swell" for looking him up. He listened with profound
interest and sympathy to his story, and made some very fierce remarks
about what he would do to "that there" Loman if he got hold of him.
Then the subject of bagatelle happened to come up, and presently Stephen
was again delighting and astonishing the good gentleman by his skill in
that game. Then in due time it came out that the boy's mother had
bought him a bicycle, and he was going to learn in the holidays, a
resolution Mr Cripps highly approved of, and was certain a clever young
fellow like him would learn in no time, which greatly pleased Stephen.

Before parting, Mr Cripps insisted on lending his young friend a
lantern for his bicycle, when he rode it in the dark. It was a
specially good one, he said, and the young gentleman could easily return
it to him after the holidays, and so on.

Altogether it was a delightful visit, and Stephen wondered more than
ever how some of the fellows could think ill of Mr Cripps.

"Oh, I say," said the boy, at parting; "don't do what you said you would
to Loman. I'm not afraid of him, you know."

"I'd like to knock his ugly head off for him!" cried Mr Cripps,
indignant