at are you thinking about, old chap? Your face is as long as a
fiddle."

"Your suggestion is a good one, Stan," answered Paul slowly, as though
he were still following his thoughts; "but I don't think that I'll act
upon it--just yet."

"Why not?"

"Let's work my reasons out as you worked yours--shall we? Reason number
one: We have cause to be suspicious of Mr. Weevil, the master in charge
of this school during the absence of the Head. Heaven grant that our
suspicions may be wrong, but we have reason to suppose that he is in
league with a traitor. Am I clear, Stan?"

"Quite."

"Reason number two: If I told Mr. Weevil what I saw through his window
on my way to you I might clear myself, but it would at once put him on
his guard, and we should never have another chance of proving whether
our suspicions are true or false. Is that clear, too?"

"Yes, yes."

"Well, thirdly and lastly: Don't you think it will be better to keep
what we know up our sleeves for the present, in view of what may come
after?"

"You're right, Paul, as you always are!" exclaimed Stanley
enthusiastically.

"No, old fellow, there is only One who is always right," answered Paul
earnestly. "We're always patting ourselves on the back and fancying
ourselves mighty clever; but we're not. We're asses--always slipping and
tumbling about, and when not doing that, running down the wrong road and
butting our stupid heads against posts or walls. Asses, all of us--some
big, some little."

"Where do you come in, Paul?" laughed Stanley.

"Amongst the mediums," Paul laughed back; but as he turned towards the
school his face grew grave again. He had tried to reason things out, but
the way before him did not seem so clear as he could have wished. There
were pitfalls before him, into one of which he might stumble at any
moment. And as he thought there came to him the lines of a hymn he had
often heard his mother sing:

"Lord, bring me to resign
My doubting heart to Thee;
And, whether cheerful or distressed,
Thine, Thine alone to be.
My only aim be this--
Thy purpose to fulfil,
In Thee rejoice with all my strength,
And do Thy Holy will."

Entering the school, he sought out Hasluck, head of the Fifth. He was a
quiet, studious boy, with glasses. He did not take a very prominent part
in the sports, but none the less he was keen on the honour of his form,
inside or outside the school.

"I want you to call a meetin