f the open lattice panes almost startled him
out of his skin.

"Oh, Clapperton! Ain't you glad? Rollitt's no thief. The money's
found. Good evening--have you used our soap? Haul in, you chaps!
Sharp!"

The persecuted senior, after the first surprise, made a frantic rush,
first at the window, and then, finding the bird flown, at the door. The
latter was locked. He could hear a scuffling and scrambling in the
lobby outside, followed by a stampede; after which dead silence
prevailed, save for the vicious kicking of the imprisoned hero at his
own door.

"Whew!" said Wally, fanning himself when the juniors were safe back in
Percy's study. "That was a squeak, if you like. How on earth am I to
do it?"

"Better let him off," suggested some one.

Wally resented the suggestion as an insult.

"Not likely," said he. "I'll do it. I don't care, if you all back up."

And in a minute, when the sound of the kicking had ceased, and
Clapperton had apparently retired once more to his work, he crept out
into the lobby, followed stealthily by the whole band.

As they passed the head of the stairs, whose voice should they hear
below, inquiring of a middle-boy if Clapperton was in the house, but the
doctor's?

"Yes, sir; shall I tell him you want him?" said the boy.

"No, I'll go up to his room," said the head-master.

"Whew!" said Wally, "what a go! and the door's locked on the outside!"

"I'll go and turn it quietly," said Percy, "if you back up in case he
flies out."

But the precaution was not needed. Percy, who luckily had just taken
off his boots, slipped up silently to the door, and the others from
their lurking-place saw him quietly turn the key and then walk back,
evidently unheard by the prisoner within.

He passed the stair-head just before the doctor came up, and to their
great relief ran into the arms of his friends unchallenged.

The doctor, indeed, was too pre-occupied to dream that, as he went to
Clapperton's study, nine small heads were craning out of a door at the
end of the passage, watching his every step.

"I say," whispered Ashby, in tones of horror, "suppose Clap thinks it's
one of us, and goes for him!"

"My eye, what a go!" ejaculated Cash.

They saw the stately figure stand a moment at the door and turn the
handle.

Next moment he reeled back with an exclamation of amazement, nearly
felled to the ground by a bulky dictionary hurled at his head!

The nine lurkers fairly embraced o