foolish fellow, playing with boys infinitely
cleverer than himself, has lost a sum of money which he could not pay.
To obtain the means of paying it, he deliberately forged a letter and a
signature. And then followed the inevitable lying--lie upon lie. That
is always the price of lies--'to lie on still.'

"I would mitigate the punishment, if I could, but I must think of the
majority. This sort of malignant disease must be cut out. Two of the
three offenders are young men; they were leaving at the end of this
term. They will leave, instead--to-day. The third boy is much
younger. Because of his youth, I have been persuaded by his
house-master to give him a further chance."

Again he paused. Then he exclaimed loudly, "Scaife!"

Scaife stood up, very pale. "Here, sir!"

"Scaife, you will go into the Fourth Form Room,[1] and prepare to
receive the punishment which no member of the Eleven should ever
deserve."

John sat with his Form while the Head Master was addressing the School.
Not far off was the Caterpillar, less cool than usual, so John
remarked. His collar, for instance, seemed to be too tight; and he
moved restlessly upon his chair. Many very brave men become nervous
when a great danger has passed them by. Egerton said afterwards, "I
felt like getting down a hole, and pulling the hole after me. Not my
own. Some Yankee's, you know." Still, he displayed remarkable
self-possession under trying circumstances. Two of Lovell's particular
friends were seen to turn the colour of Cheddar cheese. But Desmond,
so John noticed, grew red rather than yellow. Nor did he tremble, but
his fists were clenched, and his eyes kindled.

As Scaife left the Speech-room, followed by Titchener (the provider of
birches, whose duty it is to see that boys about to be swished are
properly prepared to receive punishment), the boys began to shuffle in
their places. But the Head Master held up his hand. It was then that
Lovell's two particular friends, who had partially recovered, felt that
the earth was once more slipping from under them.

"It takes four to play bridge." The Caterpillar's fingers went to his
collar again. "In this case there must have been a fourth, possibly
a fifth and a sixth. Not more, I think, because the secret was
too well kept. We are confronted with the disagreeable fact that
three boys are going to receive the most severe punishments I can
inflict, and that another escapes scot-free. _For I