e building and say:

"Ee, bless me, my men, clear the baths."

The prefects quickly emptied the building of all boys; but outside
the door they could do no more than link arms like the City Police
and keep back a turbulent mob. Then Salome, accompanied by Fillet,
Upton, and Radley, passed with dignity through his pupils. He was
received in an ominous silence.

Now, behind this revolt there was a hidden hand; and it was the hand
of Pennybet. To effect a _coup d'etat_ and to control and move blind
forces were, we know, the particular hobbies of Pennybet. Here this
evening he found blind disorder and rebellion, which, if they were
not to die out feebly and expose the rebels to punishment, must be
guided and controlled. So he flattered himself he would take over
the reins of mutiny, and hold them in such a clandestine manner that
none should recognise whose was the masterhand. He would cross
swords with Salome. As he said to me the following day: "_I_ ran
that riot, Rupert, and I never enjoyed anything so much in my life."

His method outside the baths was to keep himself in the background
and to whisper to boys, at various points on the circumference of
the vast and gathering mob, battle orders, which he knew would be
quickly circulated. They were really his own composition, but, like
a good general keeping open his means of retreat, he attributed them
to some visionary people, who, in the event of failure, could bear
the brunt of the insurrection.

"Some of the chaps are talking about a real organised revolt. How
corking!"

"The idea seems to be that it's no good doing anything, unless it's
done on a large scale. I shall stick by the others and see what they
do."

"You're to pass the word, they say, to keep massed. I suppose their
game is that small bodies can be dispersed, but we can't be touched
if we're all caked together. You'd better pass that on and explain
it."

"There are to be no dam black-legs. I've just heard that any who
slink off will be mobbed."

"What are we waiting for? Can't say. Depends who's managing this
shindy. You can be sure somebody's organising it, and we'll do what
the others do. Toss that along."

Really, Penny didn't know what his great crowd _was_ waiting for. He
had not had time to formulate a plan, but had contented himself with
keeping his forces together. And, while, closely compacted, they
swayed about, unconscious that they were the plaything of one cool
and remarkable boy