r, till they were able to get it quite ashore, and drain out the
last drops over the side. Then launching again, and replacing the oars,
Macey gave his head a rub.

"We shall have to buy the miller a new boat-hook," he said. "I suppose
the iron on the end of the pole was so heavy that it took the thing
down. I never saw it again. Pretty hunt I had for the sculls. I got
one, but was ever so long before I could find the other."

"You only just got to us in time," said Vane, with a sigh; and he looked
painfully in his companion's eyes.

"Oh, I say, don't look at a fellow like that," said Macey. "I am
sorry--I am, indeed."

Vane was silent, but still looked at his fellow-pupil steadily.

"Don't ever split upon me, old chap," continued Macey; "and I'll own it
all to you. I thought it would only be a bit of a lark to give him a
ducking, for he had been--and no mistake--too disagreeable for us to put
up with it any longer."

"Then you did keep on telling him which hand to pull and steered him on
to the pile?"

Macey was silent.

"If you did, own to it like a man, Aleck."

"Yes, I will--to you, Vane. I did, for I thought it would be such a
game to see him overboard, and I felt it would only be a wetting for us.
I never thought of it turning out as it did."

He ceased speaking, and Vane stood gazing straight before him for a few
moments.

"No," he said, at last, "you couldn't have thought that it would turn
out like it did."

"No, 'pon my word, I didn't."

"And we might have had to go back and tell Syme that one of his pupils
was dead. Oh, Aleck, if it had been so!"

"Yes, but don't you turn upon me, Vane. I didn't mean it. You know I
didn't mean it; and I'll never try such a trick as that again."

"Ready there?" cried Gilmore.

"Yes; all right," shouted Macey. Then, in a whisper, "Don't tell
Distie. He'd never forgive me. Here they come."

For, sallow, and with his teeth chattering, Distin came toward them,
leaning on Gilmore's arm; but, as he reached the boat, he drew himself
up, and looked fixedly in Vane's face.

"You needn't try to plot any more," he said, "for I shall be aware of
you next time."

"Plot?" stammered Vane, who was completely taken aback. "I don't know
what you mean."

"Of course not," said Distin, bitterly. "You are such a genius--so
clever. You wouldn't set that idiot Macey to tell me which hand to
pull, so as to overset the boat. But I'll be even with you yet."