s his
only comfort, buried himself in his books. For an hour at least before
the early call-over he might forget his trouble in hard work.

But before that hour was half-over Riddell closed his book with a start
and a sense of something unusual. This unearthly stillness all over the
place--he never remembered anything of the sort before. Not a sound
rose from the neighbouring studies, and when he looked out the
playground was as deserted as if it had been the middle of the summer
holidays. What did it all mean?

Then suddenly the truth flashed upon him. What could it mean, but that
Willoughby had mutinied, and, in open defiance of his authority, gone
down without leave to Shellport!

He hurried out of his room. There was scarcely a sound in the house.
He went into the playground--only one boy, Gilks, was prowling about
there, half-mad with toothache, and either unable or unwilling to give
him any information. He looked in at Parrett's, no one was there, and
even the schoolhouse seemed desolate.

The captain returned to his study and waited in anything but a placid
frame of mind. He felt utterly humbled and crestfallen. It had really
seemed of late as if he was making some headway in his uphill task of
ruling Willoughby, but this was a shock he had never expected. It
seemed to point to a combination all over the school to thwart him, and
in face of such a feeling further effort seemed hopeless.

Riddell imagined too much. Would it have pained him to know that three-
quarters of those who, politics-mad, had thus broken bounds that
afternoon had never so much as given him a thought in the matter, and in
fact had gone off, not to defy him, but simply to please themselves?

The bell for call-over rang, and Riddell went despondingly to the big
hall. Only about a score of fellows, including Bloomfield, Porter,
Fairbairn, Coates, and Wibberly (who, by the way, always did as
Bloomfield did), answered to their names amid a good deal of wonder and
a little laughter.

Bloomfield, who had also regarded the afternoon's business as a test of
his authority, looked as crestfallen as the real captain, and for the
first time that term he and Riddell approached one another with a common
interest.

"There'll be an awful row about this," said he.

"There will," said Riddell; "will you report your fellows, or shall I
send up the whole list to the doctor?"

"You send up all the names," said Bloomfield, "that is, unless