nce.

"Well, I'm sorry this has happened. But when I say that I want a thing
done, I expect it to be done. None of you are to blame particularly; but
you are all equally guilty. I shall be forced to cane the lot of you."

There was a gasp. They had known Clarke was a strong man, but they had
hardly expected this. Mansell was indignant.

"But look here, Clarke, you can't beat me, I'm a House cap."

"Can't I?"

"It has been a House tradition for years that a House cap can't be
beaten."

"I am sorry, Mansell, but I have little respect for traditions. Will you
all wait for me in the Sixth Form room?"

"All right, I shall go to the Chief then."

"I don't think you will, Mansell."

The Chief was not very fond of receiving complaints about his House
prefects.

It was, of course, obvious that Clarke, when he had started on a job
like this, had to carry it through. If he had gone back, his position
would have been impossible; but there could be no doubt that it was a
disastrous campaign as far as the unity of the House was concerned. At
once the House was divided into sides, and nearly the whole of the Sixth
Form was against Clarke.

"It's not the duty of the head of the House to see how people are
working. That is a House master's job," pointed out FitzMorris. "All
Clarke has got to do is to see that the kids don't rag in hall, and at
other times more or less behave themselves."

The House was in a state of open rebellion.

And the worst of it was that none of the other prefects made any attempt
to keep order. Now there was a rule that in hall only three people might
be allowed in one study, the idea being that, if more got in, work would
be bound to change into conversation. One evening, however, a huge crowd
slowly congregated in Mansell's study. Lovelace dropped in to borrow a
book, and stayed. Hunter and Gordon came for a chat, and stayed too.
Archie Fletcher had, as was usual with him, done all his preparation in
half-an-hour, and was in search of something to do. Betteridge heard a
noise outside, walked in, and stopped to give his opinion on the chances
of A-K beating L-Z that week. In a few minutes the conversation got
rather heated. The noise could be heard all down the passage.

Meredith came down to see what was going on.

"Ah, 'some' party! Well, Mansell, got over your beating yet?"

There was subdued laughter.

"I say, Meredith, have A-K the slightest chance of beating us on
Thursday?" Lovelace