e dreaming of the exquisite torture being prepared for him,
Clapperton sat in his study engaged in the farce of preparation.

He had plenty to think of besides lessons. Things had all gone wrong
with him. Dangle and he had fought. Brinkman, after his thrashing by
Corder, no longer counted. Fullerton had rebelled, and was taking boys
over every day to the enemy. Corder had successfully defied his--
Clapperton's--authority, and the juniors snapped their fingers at him.

And yet Clapperton had come up this term determined to lay himself out
for his side, and be the most popular prefect in Fellsgarth!

His one comfort was that the Classics were under a cloud too. One of
their number was a runaway thief; and a stigma rested on their side
worse than any that attached to the Moderns.

He was trying to make the most of this questionable consolation when the
door opened, and Percy bounced in.

"I say, Clapperton; Fisher's found the money. Rollitt's not a thief.
Ain't you glad? Hurray!"

And, without waiting, he retired as suddenly as he had come.

Clapperton gaped at the door by which he had gone in amazement. He had
never calculated on this. This was the worst thing yet. It showed
Yorke had been right, and that he and Dangle--

The door opened again, and Cottle ran in. "Hurray, Clapperton! The
money's found. Rollitt's no thief. Ain't you glad?" And he, too,
vanished.

There must be something in it. What a fool he would look to all
Fellsgarth! Perhaps it was only a plot, though, to shield Rollitt.
Perhaps--

The door once more swung open, and in jumped Cash.

"Clapperton, I say--Hooray! That money's been found. Rollitt's no
thief. Ain't you glad?"

Hullo! At this rate he would get to know the news. How they would crow
on the other side! He wondered if Fisher major had done it on purp--

Again there was a scuffle of feet at the door, and Lickford stepped in.

"Oh! Clapperton," he said. "Hooray, Clapperton! The money's turned
up, and Rollitt's no thief. Ain't you glad?--and, oh, I say,
Clapperton--hooray!"

"Come here," said Clapperton, sternly.

But, oh dear no; Lickford was pressed, and couldn't stay.

"The young asses!" growled Clapperton. "Why can't they keep their
precious news to themselves? If they'd tried, they couldn't have made
bigger nuisances of themselves. I suppose, now, Yorke will--"

The door swung open again, and Ramshaw, hanging on to the handle, swung
in with