e direction of the school.

Newall continued shouting his threats at the top of his voice for a few
moments before he discovered that no one was on guard outside; then he
flung open the door, and dashed through with a yell, just as Arbery,
Parfitt, Hasluck, and others of the Fifth had started for the shed. They
came to a sudden stop when they saw the extraordinary figure that rushed
towards them in the darkness. And well they might, for Newall, smothered
in feathers from head to foot, presented one of the most extraordinary
sights it is possible to imagine.

"What is it?" asked Arbery, in an awestruck whisper.

"Ask me another. It--it looks like----"

But before Hasluck could explain what it looked like Newall had dashed
up to them.

"Newall!" came the astonished cry.

"Who--who's been doing this?" he cried, glaring fiercely round on his
companions.

"Doing what?" asked Hasluck.

"Can't you see? Nearly smothering me with feathers, and fastening me in
the Forum."

"We know nothing of it. We were just coming to the meeting when we heard
the shouting," answered Parfitt, in an injured tone. "Is it likely we'd
play a trick on you, Newall?"

"It sounded like some of those imps of the Third. They were talking to
me as if I were Baldry."

At this moment Paul joined the group, wondering what was the matter.
Directly Newall caught sight of him, he turned towards him fiercely:

"Do you know anything of this? Had you a hand in it?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," answered Paul coldly.

"Of course not. You never do when it suits your purpose. Can we believe
anything from the fellow who shakes hands with a Beetle--with the enemy
of Garside?" came the sneering answer.

Paul staggered back as though he had been struck. Some one had seen him
shake hands with Wyndham then, and, without knowing the facts, his
enemies were already putting the worst possible construction on it.
Stanley had joined the group as Newall was speaking.

"If you can't believe anything I say, what's the use of asking me
questions? It seems to me a waste of breath."

"Did you or did you not set those fellows on to keep me in the shed?"
demanded Newall hotly.

"I'm not going to answer you," said Paul firmly.

"Then perhaps you'll answer me," said Stanley, stepping forward to
Newall's side, pale to the lips.

Paul had not noticed his arrival, and did not know that he was present
till he heard his voice. It stirred the old feeling