petition to the
doctor. He managed to invent some excuse for his desertion which made
it appear it was unavoidable. Nevertheless it was a good deal
complained of, because he had been the only representative of the
schoolhouse who had promised to go with the others to the doctor.

However it was decided not to postpone the ceremony any further. As it
was, one or two were beginning to have their doubts as to its wisdom,
and Game and those like him, who were the prime movers in the matter,
began to fear the whole thing might fall through.

So, directly after morning chapel, the deputation, consisting of three,
marched boldly to the doctor's library and knocked at the door.

"Come in," said Dr Patrick.

He was surprised to see three monitors obey the invitation. It was very
rarely that a petition was presented from the school to the head master
at Willoughby. Once, some years ago, a petition signed by the entire
school, from the captain down to the junior fag, praying for a holiday
in honour of an old Willoughbite having led the British troops to
victory in a great battle, had been presented and granted. And once
since then, a petition from the monitors of each house requesting that
the head of each house might be allowed to use the cane when necessary,
instead of the captain of the school only, had been presented and
declined.

Now came a third petition, signed by certain monitors of two houses,
asking the doctor to withdraw one captain and substitute another.

"What is it?" asked the head master.

"A petition, sir," said Game, handing the momentous document in.

The doctor opened it and glanced at it with a puzzled look, which soon
darkened into a frown.

"What is all this?" he asked, looking up.

His aspect was not promising. Nevertheless it was necessary for some
one to speak, and Game therefore blurted out, "We don't think Riddell
will make a good captain, sir, and--" and here stopped.

"And what, sir?" demanded the doctor.

"And," said Game, in rather a faltering voice, "we thought you would not
be angry if we petitioned you about it."

"Do you speak for yourself, Game," said the doctor, "or for others?"

"For the monitors, sir; that is, for those who have signed that paper."

The doctor folded up the petition and handed it back to Game without
reading it.

"I am glad you have told me what it is all about," said he, sternly, "in
time to prevent my reading either the petition or the names att