f it meant
anything, meant that the heroic rebellion of the juniors was regarded
not with dismay, but with positive triumph, by the very fellows it had
been intended to "squash!"

"What does it mean, Padger?" asked Bramble, who, never much of a
scholar, was quite unable to master the meaning of this.

"It's all a pack of crams," replied Padger, not quite sure of the sense
himself.

"It means," said Stephen, "the fellows say they are jolly glad to get
rid of us."

"Eh?" yelled Bramble; "oh, I say, you fellows, come to the meeting!
Jolly glad! They aren't a bit glad."

"They say so," said Paul. "Hold hard, Bramble, let's read the rest."

It was all his friends could do to restrain the ardent Bramble from
summoning a meeting on the spot to denounce the _Dominican_ and all its
"crams." But they managed to hold him steady while they read on.

"The Doctor never did a more--pat--pat--ri--what do you call it?--
patriotic deed than this!"

"Hullo, I say, look here!" cried Stephen, turning quite yellow; "the
Doctor's in it, they say, Bramble. `The small animals'--that's you and
Padger--`are to be kept in their own quarters.' Whew! there's a go."

"What!" shrieked Bramble, "who says so? The Doctor never said so. I
shall do what I choose. He never said so. Bother the Doctor! Who's
coming to the meeting, eh?"

But at that moment the grave form of Doctor Senior appeared in the midst
of the group, just in time to hear Master Bramble's last complimentary
shout.

The head master was in the most favourable times an object of terror to
the "guilty-conscienced youth" of the Fourth Junior, and the sight even
of his back often sufficed to quell their tumults. But here he stood
face to face with his unhappy victims, one of whom had just cried,
"Bother the Doctor!" and all of whom had by word and gesture approved of
the sentiment. Why would not the pavement yawn and swallow them? And
which of them would not at that moment have given a thousand pounds (if
he had it) to be standing anywhere but where he was?

"Go to your class-room," said the Doctor, sternly, eyeing the culprits
one by one, "and wait there for me."

They slunk off meekly in obedience to this order, and waited the hour of
vengeance in blank dismay.

Dr Senior did not keep them long in suspense, however. His slow, firm
step sounded presently down the corridor, and at the sound each wretched
culprit quaked with horror.

Mr Rastle was in the room, a