he school, though," said Bloomfield, "but I'll be
there too, if you like."

"Thanks," said Riddell.

And the two walked on discussing the situation, and drifting from it
into other topics in so natural a way that it occurred to neither of
them at the time to wonder how they two, of all boys, should have so
much in common.

"I shall be awfully glad when it's all cleared up," said Riddell.

"So shall I. If it is cleared up the credit of it will belong to you, I
say."

"Not much credit in getting a fellow expelled," said Riddell.

"Anyhow, it was to your credit sticking by young Wyndham as you did."

"I was going to report him for it, though, the very day the matter was
explained."

"Well, all the more credit for making up your mind to an unpleasant duty
like that when you might have shirked it."

The bell for chapel began to ring at this point.

"There goes the bell," said Bloomfield. "I say, how should you like to
ask me to breakfast with you? I'd ask you to my room, only our fellows
would be so inquisitive."

Riddell jumped at the hint with the utmost delight, and to all the
marvels of that wonderful term was added this other, of the two
Willoughby captains breakfasting _tete-a-tete_, partaking of coffee out
of the same pot and toast cut off the same loaf.

They talked far more than they ate or drank. It was more like the talk
of two friends who had just met after a long separation, than of two
schoolfellows who had sat shoulder to shoulder in the same class-room
for weeks. Bloomfield confided all his troubles, and failures, and
disappointments, and Riddell confessed his mistakes, and
discouragements, and anxieties. And the Parrett's captain marvelled to
think how he could have gone on all this term without finding out what a
much finer fellow the captain of the school was than himself. And
Riddell reproached himself inwardly for never having made more serious
efforts to secure the friendship of this honest, kind-hearted athlete,
and gradually these secret thoughts oozed out in words.

Bloomfield, as was only natural and only right, took to himself most of
the blame, although Riddell chivalrously insisted on claiming as much as
ever he could. And when at last this wonderful meal ended, a revolution
had taken place in Willoughby which the unsuspecting school, as it
breakfasted elsewhere, little dreamed of.

"Upon my honour we _have_ been fools," said Bloomfield: "that is, I
have. But we'll asto