saw the blood slowly trickling from his mouth.

"Am I to understand that you refuse to speak, Moncrief?" demanded Mr.
Weevil angrily. Stanley remained obstinately silent.

"Perhaps you will allow me to explain, sir!" began Paul.

Instantly Mr. Weevil swung round to him.

"Not a word, sir! Have the goodness to speak when you're spoken to. The
explanation must first come from Moncrief. If he has not yet learned the
lesson of obedience, he must begin to learn it. When he has given me his
explanation, I shall be quite willing to hear whatever else has to be
said. Now, Moncrief, I am waiting. It is your last chance."

He waited, but Stanley remained obstinately silent. Mr. Weevil's sallow
face darkened.

"Very well; I'm very sorry, but I must teach you that I'm not to be
defied simply because Dr. Colville is away. I must teach you that I
mean to be obeyed during his absence. Perhaps a few hours in Dormitory X
will bring you to your senses."

Dormitory X--a shortened form for "Extra Dormitory"--was a dormitory
apart from all the rest in which, on rare occasions, a pupil was
confined. It was not, as Mr. Weevil had said, a very good commencement
for the term; but Stanley saw that it was useless rebelling, so he
submitted to his fate as cheerfully as he could.

"You haven't acted very well over this matter," said Paul, crossing over
to where Newall was standing, as Stanley walked away a prisoner.

"Acted very well!" exclaimed Newall, all the passion that had been
rankling within him surging up. "How do you mean?"

"You ought to have spoken up. Moncrief was waiting for you to speak."

"Speak!" cried Newall contemptuously. "Why should I have spoken? I
didn't want to speak. All I wanted was to get that blow back that
Moncrief gave me; and I'll have it back yet, if--if I die for it!"

He turned on his heel and walked away. There was so much passion and
hatred in the words that even the lightest-hearted amongst the boys were
impressed by them.

"Newall's got his dander up," said Sedgefield, a rather good-looking,
fair boy, another of the occupants of Harry's dormitory. "And Weevil
looked as though he meant business. What a start for the term!"

They strayed away one by one. Paul, turning over in his mind what had
happened, thought he was alone. But presently he was conscious that some
one was standing by his side. It was Harry Moncrief.

"Have you forgotten me, Percival?" the boy asked timidly, for his
confidence in