d our eyes once more grew
accustomed to the twilight, we became aware of the presence of Mr
Jarman, standing in our midst!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

EXTRA DRILL.

Mr Jarman must have felt flattered at the gloomy dead silence which
fell on Philosophers and Urbans alike as we looked round and saw him.
It was of course impossible to believe he had found us by accident,
still less that he had come with any friendly purpose.

He advanced into the middle of the Bottom, watch in hand.

"This is contrary to rules," said he. "It is now a quarter-past six,
and you are half an hour from Low Heath. In addition to which I have
already said that fireworks are only to be had with leave. Tempest, you
should have put an end to this. You will kindly send me in the name of
every boy here. And each of you boys must attend an extra drill to-
morrow and write out one hundred lines--except," added he, catching
sight of me, "except Jones iv., whom I have already had to punish, and
who must write two hundred lines."

It was a study to watch Tempest's face during this speech. It was all
he could do to wait to the end.

"It's not fair," said he, with pale cheeks and angry brow. "It's a
half-holiday, and boys always get half an hour's grace."

"That is not the rule," said the master.

"It's the practice, sir. Half these boys are in my house, and I have
given them leave to stay. I also allowed the fireworks."

"Tempest, we will speak of this presently--"

"No, sir," blurted out Tempest, "the fellows have done nothing wrong;
and if they have, I'm responsible to Dr England about it."

Mr Jarman was not the man to give himself away in a public discussion,
and coolly walked off, observing--

"I shall expect the list of names to-night, Tempest."

Tempest's reply was a short, defiant laugh, which made the master turn a
moment, as if about to notice it. But he departed silently, and left us
to recover as well as we could from the surprise of the whole scene.

The general opinion was that the policeman had met his match at last in
Tempest; and the more enthusiastic of us tried to express our feelings
in words. But Tempest was by no means inclined to discuss the
situation.

"Shut up," he replied angrily, when I ventured to applaud his courage.
"Cut back to school at once, and don't speak to me."

This was a blow to some of the party, who had calculated on a general
revolt, to be headed by the rock of Sharpe's house in person, a