se. They were his bills."

"But it was Crofter's money."

"But Tempest has paid him back."

The result of this conversation was, that instead of practising for the
Quarter-mile that afternoon I went down town with a bag, and expended
five shillings of my term's pocket-money in the purchase of a pencil-
sharpener, a strawberry ice, a net-bag, and a set of patent screw
spikes.

Dicky, like a brick, undertook to convey these to Tempest, with the
following letter, which I wrote at his suggestion.

"Dear Tempest,--I send you back the change I got out of the bills I got
last term. I'm sorrier than I can say, and hope you won't hate me more
than you do. Dicky will tell you how jolly blue I am, and how we all
hope you'll win the Mile. We aren't backing up Crofter, and hope you'll
soon be captain again. Please excuse me writing, but I don't like to
come and tell you this, as you're so down on me.

"Yours truly,--

"T. Jones iv."

I also penned a further letter for Crofter:--

"Dear Crofter,--You needn't mind telling Tempest, as I've done so and
paid him back. With thanks all the same,--

"Yours truly,--

"T.J. iv."

I felt vastly easier in my mind when this polite letter was at an end,
and when I saw the faithful Dicky depart to execute his brotherly
mission. My one fear was lest the strawberry ice should get warm before
it reached its destination.

I waited in vain for any sign of response from Tempest. The
Philosophers went down during the afternoon to watch him training for
his race; but he vouchsafed us no regard, and, for all I knew, still put
me down as a thief and a sharper. Dicky, whom I met later on, explained
that he had failed to catch Tempest in his study, but had deposited the
articles along with the letter on his table, so that, if he did not know
of them yet, he soon would.

My anxiety was not at all allayed by a casual encounter with Crofter in
the evening. He summoned me into his study, where I saw my _billet-
doux_ lying on the table.

"I suppose you wrote this?" said he.

"Yes."

"And you think everything's clear now, do you?"

"Isn't it?" said I.

"I dare say Dr England will be able to tell you. By the way, why did
you only give me 2 shillings 6 pence change instead of 3 shillings 6
pence?"

"There was only 2 shillings 6 pence to give."

"Really? I thought so too till your clever management of the tips
tempted me to look over the bills again. I see that what you pai