n school-fellows to talk to. That's
better than medicine. Mr. Weevil's very kind to the boy, but he don't
understand him."

"Doesn't Mr. Weevil like my seeing Hibbert?"

"Well, he hasn't exactly forbidden it, or I shouldn't have let you in;
but he thinks you excited him when you were with him on the night of the
accident. But, as I sez, Mr. Weevil don't understand boys when they're
ill. When Mr. Colville was in charge it was different. He knew boys he
did. I wish he was back again. Since he went away things have all gone
wrong."

Paul heartily echoed her wish. Garside was quite different from what it
had been when Mr. Colville was there. He had hoped day by day that
intelligence would come of his return; but the Head still remained in
the south of France, too ill to attend to his duties at the school.

Presently the eyes of Hibbert slowly opened. A glad cry came from his
lips when they rested on Paul.

"Percival, is it really you? I thought they were never going to let me
see you again. Thanks, Mrs. Trounce; it's very kind of you."

A faint tinge of colour came to the pale cheek; the look of pain had
gone from the face. The sight of Paul seemed to have put new life and
vigour into him. The matron promptly noted the change, and was very
pleased that she had taken upon herself the responsibility of admitting
Paul into the room.

"There, there; you mustn't get excited, or I shall be blamed for letting
Master Percival in to see you, and he won't come again, will you?"

"Of course I won't," answered Paul promptly.

"I'm not the least excited, only glad--glad--so glad!"

He repeated the word three times, to make sure there might be no mistake
about it, and his thin fingers closed round Paul's, as though he feared
he might slip away.

"I hope the other fellows haven't got into trouble through me?" he
asked. "Mr. Weevil would never tell me anything."

"Oh, no; they've got off very lightly, so don't worry about that.
Plunger is going about as cheeky as ever."

A faint smile flickered over the boy's face.

"Plunger's rare fun. He was really just as much terrified as I was when
Baldry and the other fellows turned up as Indians on the 'desert
island.' I can laugh at it now, though I didn't laugh much then."

He lay placidly with his hand in Paul's, then turned pleadingly to the
matron.

"Let Percival stay with me a bit. It'll do me good, and I'm sure you
want a little change."

Mrs. Trounce could see that the