enemies? By the brief glimpse which Plunger had given him of the
life at Garside, he could see that it was not all plain sailing. There
were deeper currents than any he had seen at Gaffer Quelch's school. The
waves beat with stronger force, and there were shoals and rocks.

"Who'll take the empty bed? Will it be left empty?"

"There's not much fear of that. I wish there would, but they're sure to
put some fresher in it. I hope he's a decent chap, that's all! If he
isn't, we must make it warm for him. But come along, let's get outside!"

They turned to the door, but as they did so it opened, and Mr. Weevil
entered, followed by Hibbert, the weak little hunchback, whom we have
already met with in the grounds. The deep-set eyes of the science master
went to Plunger, from Plunger to Hal, whom he had never seen before.

"Who are you? What are you doing here, sir?"

He spoke in a sharp, quick voice, and Harry knew at once that he was in
the presence of one of the masters, and the same instinct somehow told
him that the master was Mr. Weevil, of whom he had heard, but never
seen.

"I'm Harry Moncrief, cousin of Stanley Moncrief, sir."

"Oh!" The master half closed his eyes as he spoke. Hal thought that he
was going off to sleep as he stood there. Plunger knew better. He knew
that Mr. Weevil had the habit of seeing a good deal more through his
half-closed eyes than when they were wide open, and that he was taking
"full stock"--a mental inventory--of Harry. He kept them closed for so
long that Harry felt more and more certain that he was going to sleep.
When he thought he was right off, the master startled him by opening
them to their widest extent, as much as to say, "Thought me napping, did
you? But I'm not! I'm awake!--wide awake!--very much awake!"

"Glad to meet you!" he said in a softer voice. "Trust you will get on
well at Garside. Your father is a gentleman of some distinction. I hope
you will follow in his footsteps. This is Hibbert"--introducing the
hunchback. "He also is a new boy. I trust you will be friends--close
friends. He has no friends or relatives in England. His father is abroad
on foreign service. That appeals to your sympathy, as it has appealed to
mine--does it not?--and will draw you closer to Hibbert. He will occupy
this dormitory--the bed vacated by Mellor." Then, turning to Hibbert: "I
hope you will prove more loyal to Garside than your predecessor--Mellor,
I mean--and that you will endeavour, a