came to his lips, and
said, more earnestly than I had heard him yet,--

"Look here, Jones; that fellow's a cad; and he'll make a cad of you, if
you let him. Don't believe a word he says to you, unless he calls you a
fool."

"I hope what he's been saying to-day will turn out to be Lies," said I
oracularly.

To my disappointment Tempest evinced no curiosity as to my meaning, and
relapsed into gloomy silence for the rest of the voyage.

For the first time in my life I felt out of humour with my old Dux. He
had no right to treat me like a baby, or dictate to me whom I was to
know and whom I was not to know in Low Heath. No doubt he thought he
was doing me a good turn, and honestly thought ill of Crofter. But it
did not follow he was not doing him an injustice, and demanding that I
should join in it.

At any rate, I felt heartily miserable, and wished I had never put foot
outside the faggery that day.

About a mile from home Tempest got out on the towing-path, and said he
would trot to the school while I paddled the boat home. It was some
relief to be left alone; a relief, however, which was considerably
tempered by the fear of meeting Crofter, and having to explain matters
to him. That difficulty fortunately did not occur, and I got back to
the bosom of the Philosophers without further adventure.

In their sweet society I gradually recovered my spirits. Their
enthusiasm for Tempest was still unabated, and their avowed contempt for
his enemies all the world over was refreshing. A night's reflection
further repaired my loyalty. After all, thought I, Tempest meant well
by me, and was willing to make an enemy for my sake. He might be wrong,
of course; but suppose he _was_ right--

The result of all these inward musings was that I offered Trimble to do
Tempest's fagging in his place next morning.

He seemed half to expect me, and the old friendly look was back in his
face as he saw me enter.

"I'm sorry I offended you yesterday, Tempest," said I.

"I fancied it was I offended you," said he; "but I couldn't stand seeing
you in that cad's clutches."

"Is he really a cad, then?" I asked.

"You don't suppose I asked you into my boat for fun, do you?" said he
shortly.

I went on for some time with my work, and then said,--

"Would you like to know what he was saying about you?"

"Not a bit," said he, so decisively that I relapsed again into silence.

"Look here, kid," said he, presently, and with unwo