ed Beetle? Recollect it? Who could forget it? It labelled
him to a T. You don't mean to say----"

"Yes, I do," smiled Wyndham. "He and another Beetle, whose name I
needn't mention, captured the flag between them. It was a plucky thing
to do, and when I found out what had happened, I don't think I should
have troubled any more about it, only I remembered that there was a
fellow at Garside who was standing alone, fighting against the wall."

"Wyndham!"

"Don't interrupt. This fellow was rather anxious to get hold of the
missing flag; and so, out of respect for him, and not for any of the
mean cads who hail from the same place, I persuaded Mellor & Co. to hand
it over. It was not easy work, I can tell you. They felt that I was
robbing them of their rightful prey. But at last they came round,
and----"

"You got possession of the flag!" cried Paul. "How splendid of you,
Wyndham! Instead of getting out of debt, I get deeper and deeper into
it. But where is the flag?"

"Can't you guess?" smiled Wyndham.

"Guess?" repeated Paul, puzzled.

"Yes. I've done my part; that's your part," answered Wyndham, enjoying
his mystification. "S'posing we go for the old game--'Hot boiled beans
and very good butter'? Hallo!" The smile died from his face as his
glance went to the roadway. "Here are some of your lot! They haven't got
wind of our meeting, have they?"

Paul glanced in the direction of the roadway. Sure enough, there were
four Garsiders coming along the road--Newall, Parfitt, Plunger, and
Stanley. As his glance went to the road Parfitt caught sight of him;
then all four stopped and glanced in the direction where Paul and
Wyndham were standing. An animated conversation took place for a minute.
It seemed as though they were undecided how to act. Then they came to a
decision, and walked quickly on.

"I'm not sorry they didn't come, though I should have been pleased
enough to meet them at any other time," said Wyndham contemptuously.
"Let's get on with our game. Now, then, are you ready? 'Hot boiled
beans, very good butter; ladies and gentlemen, come to supper.' At
present you're frightfully cold, freezing, perfect icicle."

He rubbed his hands together, and flung them across his chest, and blew
upon his fingers as though he were suffering from the same complaint;
and then he laughed again at Paul's mystified expression as he gazed
round. There was no sign of the flag. At length Paul's glance rested
upon the decayed old elm