emedy close at hand, and so
easy to administer. The breathing is becoming normal. In a few minutes I
predict that we shall have the satisfaction of seeing the poor dear
fellow open his eyes, and he will tell us that he is but little the
worse. Yes, yes, a rush of blood to the head producing cerebral
disturbance."

He smiled blandly, receiving the homage of the Fifth.

"And now, Lovell, what do you know about this? Did this fit take place
here?"

"In my room, sir."

"In your room--eh? What was Scaife, a Lower Boy, doing in your room?"

"Lawrence gave him his 'fez' to-day, sir."

Lawrence nodded.

"Ah! And Scaife was excited, perhaps unduly excited--eh?"

The Fifth joined in a chorus of, "Yes, sir--Oh, yes, sir--awfully
excited, sir--never saw a boy so excited, sir."

"That will do. Now, Lovell, go on!"

"We had some siphons in our room, sir." A stroke of genius this--for the
siphons were still on the table and the syrups, and the _debris_ of
cakes and meringues. Rutford would be sure to examine the scene of the
catastrophe; and the whisky bottle was carefully hidden. "We were having
a spread, sir, and we asked Scaife to join us. His play to-day made him
one of us."

The other boys gazed admiringly at Lovell. What a cool, knowing hand!

"Yes, yes, I see nothing objectionable about that."

"Well, sir--we were rather noisy----"

"Go on."

"To speak the exact truth, sir, I fear we were _very_ noisy; and Trieve,
it seems, heard us. Instead of sending for me, sir, he sent Verney for
Scaife----"

"Ah!"

Lovell's hesitation at this point was really worthy of Coquelin _cadet_.

"Of course you know, sir, that Scaife's getting his 'fez' releases him
from house-fagging. We thought Trieve had forgotten that, sir; and that
it would be rather fun--I'm not excusing myself, sir--we thought it
would be a harmless joke if we persuaded Scaife not to go."

"Um!"

"We were very foolish, sir. And then Trieve sent another message saying
that Scaife was to go to his room at once to be--whopped."

"To be whopped. Um! Rather drastic that, very drastic under the
circumstances."

"So we thought, sir; and I went to represent the facts to Trieve----"

"Well?"

"I'm not much of a peacemaker, I fear, sir. Trieve refused to listen to
me. He insisted upon whopping Scaife for what he called disobedience and
impudence. Upon my honour, sir, I tried, we all tried, to persuade
Scaife to take his whopping quietly, but he seemed