moment the house matron, with a very important face,
was bounding into the room.

"Master Fisher," said she, "Mrs Wisdom's just sent back that flannel
shirt of yours."

"Oh! At last. She's only had it six weeks. About long enough," said
Fisher major. "I'd given it up for lost."

"It got left at the bottom of the bag, and she never noticed it till
last night. And what do you think, Master Fisher! there was _this_ in
the breast pocket." And she handed him a little brown paper parcel.

Fisher major snatched at it with an ejaculation more like horror than
anything else, and tore the paper open.

Four sovereigns and some silver dropped on to the table.

"Why," gasped he, "that's it! I remember now. I got it on the field
just before the Rendlesham match, and stuck it in that pocket, and it
went clean out of my head. Oh, my word, what _have_ I done? What an
awful mess I've made!"

Not even Fisher minor stayed to dispute this statement, but hurried off
with the great news to the shop committee next door.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

COMING TO.

Fisher major's discovery put the finishing touch to the discomfiture of
the Modern seniors.

And the manner in which they came by the news of it by no means tended
to salve the wound which it inflicted.

The shop committee was so convulsed by the intelligence which Fisher
minor brought, that they then and there promised themselves the pleasure
of conveying the good news to Rollitt's accusers in person. They
accordingly adjourned in a body to the Modern side.

"Won't Clapperton grin!" said Percy. "I say, you chaps, we may as well
let him have it one at a time. Then he'll hear it nine times over, do
you see? I'll go first."

The idea seemed a good one, but risky. Cottle calculated that after
about the fourth time Clapperton would be a little riled. He therefore
modestly proposed to follow Percy. Cash and Lickford competed smartly
for the third place, the former being successful. Ramshaw, having to
come fifth, had decided misgivings as to the fun of the thing; while the
Classic juniors declined to play unless all the others remained on the
spot ready to back up in case of emergency.

It was also decided that, for precautionary reasons, the key of
Clapperton's door should be removed for the time being, lest he should
try to lock the good news out; and that an interval of two minutes
should be allowed to elapse between each messenger's announcement.

Littl