ecting a messenger to come with some alarming intelligence, he could
not define what. After school Edwards came up to him and drew him aside
confidentially, full of eagerness and curiosity.

"Well," he said, "was it good fun? How did it all go off?"

"It was a regular sell," replied Saurin, smothering his impatience at
being questioned, and forcing himself to take the tone he was accustomed
to assume towards his chum in confidential communications.

"How! did you not meet Marriner?"

"Oh, yes! I met him all right; but it was no good. There were other
poachers out last night, and we heard their guns, so of course we could
not attempt anything, because the gamekeepers would all have been on the
look-out. You were well out of it, not coming, for it was precious cold
work waiting about, and no fun after all."

"What a bore! But you will have better luck next time, perhaps."

"I hope so, if I go; but the fact is, I have lost confidence in Marriner
rather. He ought to have found out that those other fellows were going
out last night, don't you see? At least he always brags that he knows
their movements. And it will be some time before the moon serves again;
and then the Christmas holidays will be coming on; and by next term the
pheasants will all have been shot off. The chance has been missed."

"Well, at all events, you have got all right and not been discovered.
Do you know, when one comes to think about it, it was an awful risk,"
said Edwards.

"Of course it was," replied Saurin; "that made all the fun of it.
Rather idiotic, though, too, since one hopes to preserve game one's self
some day. It would be a better lark to go out to catch poachers than to
go out poaching."

"A great deal, I should say. Not but what that is risky work too.
Those fellows do not flinch from murder when they are interrupted."

"What makes you say that?" cried Saurin quickly, turning and catching
him sharply by the arm.

"I don't know!" replied Edwards, astonished at the effect of his words.
"I have read about fights between gamekeepers and poachers in books, and
heard of them, and that; haven't you? How queer you look! Is there
anything the matter?"

"Not a bit of it," said Saurin, regretting his imprudence; "only, I was
frozen hanging about last night, and when I got back I could not sleep
for cold feet, so I am a bit tired. And I think I have caught cold too.
And you know," he added, laughing, "having enlisted in the