in the head master's letter-box, supposing he was doing a very
clever thing. Tempest would not be likely to allow me to explain, which
was hard on me, and made it all the more virtuous on my part to assist
now in putting things right for him. Luckily for him, he had friends at
Low Heath in spite of himself.

When I encountered Crofter in the morning, I requested him, with a
knowing look of intelligence, to give me an _exeat_ into the town to do
some shopping. It was probably the first recognition he had received of
his temporary authority as head of the house, and he made no difficulty
in granting my request.

I made my way first of all to Marple's.

"Oh, about that bill you gave me. How much was it?"

"Two pounds and sixpence, young gentleman."

"I said I'd see it paid for you, didn't I?"

"You did. I don't want to show up--"

"All right, you needn't. Here's the money; give me the change, please,
and a receipt."

Mr Marple opened his eyes very wide at the sight of a five-pound note
within three days of the end of term. "I--I hope it's all right," said
he, hesitatingly. "You needn't have it if you don't want," said I,
mounting my high horse.

"I'm sure I'm much obliged to you, young gentleman," said the tradesman,
giving the note a professional twitch, and proceeding to count out the
change from his till. "I shall always be pleased to attend to any
little orders from Mr Tempest or you."

"You can make out the receipt to Tempest," said I; "I expect he won't
get much more here."

"Don't say that. I'm sure no offence was meant."

It was a delicious sensation to feel myself master of the situation like
this. I could have bullied Marple if I had liked, but I resolved not to
be too hard on him.

"I'm sure I'm much obliged," said he, "for all your trouble. Have you
seen these pretty little pencil-sharpers? They are quite new. I shall
be pleased if you will accept one, young gentleman."

A pencil-sharpener was the very thing I wanted. All the term I had been
wrestling with a blunt penknife, which no sooner uncovered the lead at
the end of a pencil than it broke it off. So in a weak moment I
accepted the gift, and forfeited my advantage.

From Marple's I proceeded to the confectioner's, where a score of nearly
a pound stood against Tempest. Here, again, I experienced the sweets of
being treated with distinguished consideration, and being asked to
partake of a strawberry ice (how Rammage, by th