inquiring eye to Barker (who sat black and silent), and
then pulled out some bits of torn paper from his pocket, put them
together, and called Owen to stand up. Showing him the fragments of
paper, he asked, "Have you ever seen these before?"

"Yes. On Saturday, when the boys left the schoolroom, I stayed behind
to think a little over what had occurred, feeling convinced that
Williams was _not_ guilty, spite of appearances. I was standing by the
empty fireplace, when these bits of paper caught my eye. I picked them
up, and, after a great deal of trouble, fitted them together. They are
covered apparently with failures in an attempt at forgery, viz, first,
`Gordon is a sur--' and then a stop as though the writer were
dissatisfied, and several of the words written over again for practice,
and then a number of r's made in the way that Williams makes them."

"There you may stop," said Barker, stamping fiercely; "I did it all."

A perfect yell of scorn and execration followed this announcement.

"What! _you_ did it, and caused all this trouble, you ineffable
blackguard!" shouted Upton, grasping him with one hand, while he struck
him with the other.

"Stop!" said Avonley; "just see that he doesn't escape, while we decide
on his punishment."

It was very soon decided by the sixth-form that he should run the
gauntlet of the school. The boys instantly took out their
handkerchiefs, and knotted them tight. They then made a double line
down each side of the corridor, and turned Barker loose. He stood
stock-still at one end while the fellows nearest him thrashed him
unmercifully with the heavy knots. At last the pain was getting severe,
and he moved on, finally beginning to run. Five times he was forced up
and down the line, and five times did every boy in the line give him a
blow, which, if it did not hurt much, at least spoke of no slight anger
and contempt. He was dogged and unmoved to the last, and then Avonley
hauled him into the presence of Dr Rowlands. He was put in a secure
room by himself, and the next morning was first flogged and then
publicly expelled. Thenceforth he disappears from the history of Roslyn
School.

I need hardly say that neither Eric nor his friends took any part in
this retributive act; indeed they tried (though in vain) to prevent it.
They sat together in the boarders' room till it was over, engaged in
exciting discussion of the recent events. Most warmly did Eric thank
them for their