him. "Ponto, I'm very unhappy. I'm running
away. I wish I could take you with me. I only love you here; excepting
Hubert, and he can't help me;" and away he stole.

As he got into the high road the early dawn of morning gave him a little
light.

All was consternation in the school later, in the morning. A boy
missing! Dr. Thornley summoned the whole school before him. Could any
boy give him any information?

[Illustration: "HUBERT LAY AWAKE" (_p. 23_).]

Hubert came forward. "He said he should run away yesterday, sir; but I
had no notion the poor boy would or could, or I'd never have left him
last night."

"Why?--for what reason?" said Dr. Thornley, his face growing sterner and
graver.

John Seton came forward. "I'm afraid, sir, there's very bad bullying in
the lower school."

"So bad as this, that a boy should run away!" said the doctor; "and you
a prefect!"

The colour mounted high in John Seton's fine young face.

"I've not had anything to do with the discipline the three weeks since
Graham minor has been here, sir; but some of us meant to speak. It could
not go on."

"May I go after him, sir?" said Hubert, his voice quivering with
anxiety.

"I have sent to search for him in all directions," said the doctor. "A
poor little child like that might meet with many mishaps. I am
surprised," and his voice shook, "that none of you bigger boys let me
know of any of this base, low, ungentlemanly conduct."

The expression on the countenances of some of the boys of the lower
school, as these words fell from the doctor's lips, may be imagined.

Dr. Thornley was the kindest-hearted of men, but there were certain
offences that moved him greatly; and when moved to wrath, the boys knew
he could be terrible.

"I must find this all out; and if the boys who have been bullying little
Graham have not the bravery to come forward, and confess it of their own
free will, I must take measures to discover who they were. But I warn
them," added the doctor, "that if I find them out before they have come
forward and freely confessed their base conduct, their time at this
school will be short. To-day is a half-holiday. All the lower school
will keep within bounds to-day."

At that instant "Old Jacky," as the boys called him, the school porter,
brought the doctor a telegram. His face wore a look of great relief as
he read it. And he turned to poor Hubert.

"Your brother is safe." Then to the school he said, "I have just had
th