us, and we had to race them a bit--didn't we, you fellows?"

"Rather," said Parson; "and a spanking race it was. We held up to them
all down the Willow Reach, and were just collaring them for the finish
up to Balsham Weir, when the beasts pulled in and funked it."

"And then, of course, we couldn't get back in time," said Lawkins. "We
were jolly fagged--weren't we, you fellows?--and it was all a plant of
those schoolhouse cads."

"Fight you!" said Telson, menacingly.

"Oh, beg pardon, old man, didn't mean. They ran us up on purpose to
make us late. You ask them. It was a beastly low trick!"

"And then coming back," continued Telson, "we ran down old Parrett in
his skiff and spilt him, and we had to fish him out--didn't we, you
chaps?--and that made us late. You ask Parrett; he's potted us for it,
last night."

Riddell listened to all this in a bewildered way, not knowing what to
make of it. If the boys' story was correct, there certainly might be
some force in their excuse. It would hardly be fair to punish them if
they were decoyed out of their way by some seniors. And then, of
course, this story about Mr Parrett; they would never make up a story
like that. And if it was true--well, he did not see how they could have
done otherwise than stay and help him out of the water after capsizing
him into it. It really seemed to him as if these boys did not deserve
to be punished. True, Telson and Parson had been twice late this week,
but that was not what they were reported for now. The question was,
were they to be chastised for this third offence or not?

"What did Mr Parrett do to you?" he asked presently. "Oh," said
Parson, gaily, fully taking in the situation so far, "he was down on us
hot. He's stopped our going on the river a week, and then we've got to
get a permit till the end of the term. Jolly hard lines it is,
especially race term. I shan't be able to cox. Parrett's boat at the
regatta. No more will young Telson cox the schoolhouse boat. You ask
Parrett," said he, in tones of manly appeal.

"Then you mean Mr Parrett has already punished you?" asked Riddell.

"Rather," said Telson. "I'd sooner have had a licking any day than get
stopped river-play. Wouldn't you, Parson?"

"I should think I would," said Parson.

"Well," said Riddell, dubiously, "of course if Mr Parrett has already
punished you--"

"You ask him!" again said Parson. "You ask him if he's not stopped our
river-play.