ect contraband supper, which, with the questionable festivities that
followed, was good for neither the body nor the soul of our unheroic
young hero.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

DICK CONSPIRES TO DEFEAT THE ENDS OF JUSTICE.

Dick, on quitting the Captain's levee, retired in anything but exalted
spirits to Cresswell's study.

He didn't care to face the Den that evening. Not that he was afraid of
Rule 5, or cared a snap what anybody there had to say about his conduct.
But he wasn't sure himself whether he had made a mistake or not. He
hated being in a corner. He had no natural antipathy to doing what was
right, but he didn't like being pinned down to it. He didn't go to the
levee because he was desperately in love with law and order, and it was
a shame for any one to suppose he had. He went because he knew
Heathcote was waiting to see what he did. And now, after all, Heathcote
had deserted his colours and not gone.

It was enough to make any one testy, and Aspinall, had he known it,
would have been less surprised than he was to have his head almost
snapped off as the two fellow-fags sat at work in their senior's study
that evening.

"Can't you do your work without groaning like that?" said Dick, when the
small boy, for about the fiftieth time, stumbled over his hexameters.

"I beg your pardon," said Aspinall, "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Who said you did?" retorted poor Dick, longing for a quarrel with some
one. "What's the use of flaring up like that?"

"I didn't mean--I'm sorry if I--"

"There you go. Why can't you swear straight out instead of mumbling? I
can't hear what you say."

"I beg your pardon, Dick."

"Shut up, and get on with your work, and don't make such a noise."

After that the wretched Aspinall hardly dared dip his pen in the ink, or
turn over a page, for fear of disturbing his badger companion. It was a
relief when presently Cresswell entered and gave him a chance of escape.

"Well, youngster," said the senior, when he and Dick were left alone,
"I'm glad you had the sense to turn up at the levee."

"I'm sorry I did," said Dick, shortly.

Cresswell knew his man too well to be taken aback by the contradiction.

"Yes? Is the Den going to lick you for it?"

"I'd like to see them try," said Dick, half viciously.

"So would I," said the senior, laughing.

"Mansfield will be trying to make out I've promised to back him up,"
said Dick.

Cresswell laughed.

"By Jove! he _wi