se of his absence from the
school? Had he heard of the decision come to by his Form, and instead of
waiting to be expelled, had he left of his own accord? That was the view
of Newall and others of the Fifth.

"About the best thing he could have done," said Parfitt. "It wasn't only
the flag business, but there were other things in the background. The
Black Book business has never been cleared up, you know."

Parfitt made this remark in his most significant manner, with uplifted
eyebrows and a shrug of the shoulders.

"That's right. Kick a man when he's down," drawled Waterman. "Parfitt's
better at a drop kick than any fellow I know."

The Third were just as much concerned over the disappearance of
Moncrief, jun., as the Fifth were over the disappearance of Percival.
Stanley was doubly anxious--anxious for Paul, anxious for his cousin.

Could they have gone away together? That was scarcely likely. They were
hardly on speaking terms for one thing; and even if the idea of running
away from Garside had suddenly come into Paul's head, it was not at all
likely that he had induced Harry to run away with him. What, then, had
happened?

While the school was thus anxiously awaiting news of the missing boys,
we will try to explain what had really happened.

Paul knew that a meeting of his Form had been called, and that he and
his doings were to be discussed, probably censured. When would the time
arrive that he might take steps to defend himself? When would his lips
be unsealed? How much longer would Mr. Moncrief keep him in suspense,
and what had become of Zuker?

Unconsciously Paul had strayed from the school to the garden where
Hibbert had, not so long since, fallen asleep--in the sleep that knows
no waking. He sat for a long time under the tree, thinking of these
things, with no one to disturb his thoughts, save the birds that
fluttered around him as they used to flutter around Hibbert.

What had become of Hibbert's father? Again and again the question came
to him, and he could not dismiss it from his thoughts. He thought of the
strange circumstance under which he had last seen him--of that weird
scene in the cave with the man Brockman. All that had happened at that
interview was fixed indelibly on his memory. He could see Zuker tracing
with his finger on the chart the passage of the Dutch to the
Medway--could hear his voice as he described all that had happened as
they broke the chain on the river and advanced on Upn