mbfounded, then he
rallied.

"You will all go to your beds, at once," he said. "I shall report
the matter to Mr. Tulloch, in the morning."

The boys retired, laughing, to their beds; but above the din the
usher heard the words, in a muffled voice:

"A man should always be calm, in sudden danger."

Another voice, equally disguised, said:

"Yes, he should first ask himself 'What is this?' then 'What had
best be done, under the circumstances?'"

A third voice then took it up:

"It follows that a man of courage will deal coolly with the
danger."

Then there was a chorus of half a dozen voices:

"I should despise myself, if I were to act otherwise."

"Silence!" the usher shouted, rushing down the line between the
beds. "I will thrash the first boy who speaks."

As Mr. Purfleet had one of the hockey sticks in his hand, the
threat was sufficient to ensure silence.

To the relief of the two or three boys engaged in the affair, Mr.
Purfleet made no report in the morning. Mr. Tulloch by no means
spared the cane, but he always inquired before he flogged and, as
the usher felt sure that the snake story would be brought forward,
by way of excuse for the trick played upon him, he thought it
better to drop it; making a mental note, however, that he would get
even with Bob Repton, another time--for he made sure that he was at
the bottom of the matter, especially as he had been one of those
who had listened to the snake story.

Mr. Purfleet was held in but light respect by the boys. He was a
pale young man, and looked as if he had been poorly fed, as a boy.
He took the junior classes, and the belief was that he knew nothing
of Latin.

Moffat, who took the upper classes, was much more severe, and sent
up many more boys to be caned than did the junior usher; but the
boys did not dislike him. Caning they considered their natural
portion, and felt no ill will on that account; while they knew that
Mr. Moffat was a capital scholar and, though strict, was always
scrupulously just. Above all, he was not a sneak. If he reported
them, he reported them openly, but brought no accusation against
them behind their back; while Mr. Purfleet was always carrying
tittle tattle to the headmaster. There was, therefore, little
gratitude towards him for holding his tongue as to the eel; for the
boys guessed the real reason of his silence, and put it down to
dread of ridicule, and not to any kindliness of feeling.

"Purfleet would give si