yet longer; and by the time he returned everybody's eyes
were fixed on the door, to see what sort of a switch would next appear.
Dale entered, bringing a straw.

"I think this will not be too stout, sir."

Everybody laughed but Hugh--even Holt.

There was that sneer about Mr Carnaby's nose which made everybody sorry
now for Dale: but everybody started, Mr Carnaby and all, at Mr Tooke's
voice, close at hand. How much he had seen and heard, there was no
knowing; but it was enough to make him look extremely stern.

"Are these boys not caned yet, Mr Carnaby?"

"No, sir:--I have not--I--"

"Have they been standing here all this while?"

"Yes, sir. I have no cane, sir. I have been sending--"

"I ordered them an immediate caning, Mr Carnaby, and not mental
torture. School is up," he declared to the boys at large. "You may
go--you have been punished enough," he said to the little boys. "Mr
Carnaby, have the goodness to remain a moment."

And the large room was speedily emptied of all but the master, the
usher, and poor Lamb.

"The usher will catch it now," observed some boys, as the master himself
shut the door behind them. "He will get well paid for his spite."

"What will be done to him?" asked Hugh of Dale, whom he loved fervently
for having saved him from punishment.

"Oh, I don't know; and I don't care--though he was just going to give my
head some sound raps against the wall, if Mr Tooke had not come up at
the moment."

"But what _will_ be done to Mr Carnaby?"

"Never mind what: he won't be here long, they say. Fisher says there is
another coming; and Carnaby is here only till that other is at liberty."

This was good news, if true: and Hugh ran off, quite in spirits, to
play. He had set himself diligently to learn to play, and would not be
driven off; and Dale had insisted on fair scope for him. He played too
well to be objected to any more. They now went to leap-frog; and when
too hot to keep it up any longer, he and Dale mounted into the
apple-tree to talk, while they were cooling, and expecting the
dinner-bell.

Something happened very wonderful before dinner. The gardener went down
to the main road, and seemed to be looking out. At last he hailed the
London coach. Hugh and Dale could see from their perch. The coach
stopped, the gardener ran back, met Mr Carnaby under the chestnuts,
relieved him of his portmanteau, and helped him to mount the coach.

"Is he going? Gone for good?" p