or was the only member of the party about whom any serious
uneasiness existed, and he, thanks to a wiry constitution and a rooted
dislike to do what nobody else did, got off with a bad cold, which
detained him in his house for a fortnight.

Rollitt, as might have been expected, vanished to his own quarters as
soon as he had deposited his precious burden into Mr Wakefield's
charge. No one heard of his having been to the top. To Fisher's thanks
he returned a grumpy "Not at all." And the curious inquiries of others
he met by shutting his door and saying "Get out" to any one who entered.

As might be expected also, the Modern seniors were baulked, after all,
of their promised vengeance on the rebels. On the contrary, while the
fags were making merry on chicken and toasting their toes at the roaring
fire in the sanatorium, Clapperton, Brinkman, and Dangle were hauled up
into the presence of the head-master, and there seriously reprimanded
for the damage done to one of the doors in Mr Forder's house, and
cautioned not to let such a breach of discipline happen again, under a
pain of severer penalties.

"If you are unable to keep order in your own house," said the doctor
cuttingly, "your duty is to report the matter to me, and I will deal
with it. Remember that another time."

This incident did not tend to smooth the ruffled plumes of the
discomfited heroes.

Still less did another little rebuff, which happened a few days later.

Corder had taken advantage of the general excitement attending the
escapade of the juniors to return to his own quarters and attempt once
more to resume the privileges of ordinary civilised life. He only
partially succeeded. Two or three boys, among whom was Fullerton, who
were getting sick of the present state of affairs and longing for
football once more, had begun seriously to doubt what advantage was
coming to themselves or any one else by the strike. Among these Corder
found a temporary shelter. But the authority of the seniors still
controlled the general public opinion of the house, and the life of the
boycotted boy was still only half tolerable.

At the first attempt at violence, however, Corder walked across to his
Classic allies, and took up his quarters in their study, where he
remained all day.

At bedtime he declined to return to his own house; particularly when a
summons to that effect was sent across by Clapperton, who by this time
had a very good idea of the rebel's wh