ving the store of combustibles we had already secreted in our
lockers, bringing them down-stairs, and placing them for safety and
concealment in the cellar below, where our boxes were kept.

It was a timely precaution.

Slodgers had evidently played the sneak as usual, although keeping up
the semblance all the while of being one of the prime movers in the
pyrotechnic display suggested by Batson. Indeed, he went so far as to
buy and bring home a shilling's-worth of detonating powder to aid the
contemplated _feu de joie_; but, no sooner had the boys got in and gone
up-stairs to arrange their clothes for Sunday, as was our custom before
tea-time every Saturday afternoon, than Dr Hellyer, accompanied by
Smiley and the Cobbler, and the old woman, who had the keenest eye of
the lot for the detection of contraband stores, came round to the
dormitories on an exploring and searching expedition. There was a grand
_expose_ of the conspiracy, of course, at once; for, the contents of all
the lockers were turned out and the newly-purchased fireworks
confiscated to the last cracker!

"Ah--you can't deceive me!" exclaimed the Doctor, as he departed
triumphantly, his arms and those of his assistants loaded with the
spoils of their raid, "I told you I would not have any fireworks in my
school this year, and shall keep my word, as you see! You have only to
thank yourselves--ah--for wasting your money! But, for disobeying my
orders the boys will all stop in next week on both half-holidays;" and,
so concluding his parting address, with a triumphant grin on his huge
round face, he went out, leaving the baffled conspirators in agonies of
rage, swearing vengeance against the unknown spy who had betrayed their
preparations.

Tom and I were jubilant, however. Nothing could have worked better for
the end we had in view; as, after this failure of Batson, the surprise
we intended for the Doctor would be all the more unexpected and
correspondingly successful.

It was a sad night, though, for the other fellows.

When Sunday morning came, the boys got up grumbling, moody, defiant, and
almost inclined to weep over their frustrated efforts; while Tom and I
were so jolly that we could have sung aloud.

We always breakfasted later on this day of the week, and after the meal
was done generally lounged about the room while the old woman was
clearing up, waiting till it was time for us to assemble for what we
styled our "church parade;" but, thi