Mike

bunch of dry grass, and, before any one can realise what is happening, sheets of fire are racing over the country; and the interested neighbours are following the

sman great events would never have happened. A tomato is a trivial thing (though it is possible that the ma

The remnants of the thrower's friends were placed in the pond, and "wi

Mr. Butt, having prudently changed hi

and sympathetic; Mr. Bu

ed on motor-cars and fed with stop-watches, it has

they did, si

w you

aid Mr. Butt, with

ed! This is--dear me! I shall certainly--The

ption of his story, Mr. Butt started

gathered together, and fighting.' I says, beginning to suspect something, 'Wot's this all about, I wonder?' I says. 'Blow m

actually threw y

lking here, sir. She says to me, 'Why, whatever 'ave you been a-doing? You're all w

ster's fro

at your assailants were

g here, sir. They all 'ad the

rdly believe that it is possible. They actual

an, with a vividness of imagery

d restlessly on the

ys were ther

ed, sir," said M

hun

ay properly; but if you ask me my frank and pr

into the matter at once.

s,

m--Yes--Mos

s,

ou, constable

night,

eport almost as it stood. He thought that he might possibly have been mistaken as to the exact numbers of those concerned in his immersion; but he accepted the statement in so far as it indicated that the thing had been the work of a considerable section of the school, and not of only one or two indivi

at the school, as a whole, was culpable, and

een given to the schools in honour of the recovery, but Eton and Harrow had set the example, which was followed throughout the kingdom, and Wrykyn had come into line with the rest. Only two days before the

d to take by way of avenging Mr. But

tice to that eff

about it," they had said, thrilled with the pleasant excitement of those who see trouble approaching and themselves looking on from a comfortable distance without risk or uneasiness. They were not malicious. T

ter all. The blow had fallen, and

d up in three words. It was one va

s in those words. When condensed, everybo

ly always, expend itself in words, and in private at that. Even the consolation of getting

ne malcontent, the school's indignation would have been allowed to

the matter, and he proceeded now to carry it on till it blazed up into

for order and authority, will appreciate the magnitude of his feat, even though he may not approve of

Wyatt's coolness and matter-of-fact determination were his chief weapons. His popularity and reputation for lawlessness helped him.

him, and probably considered himself, on the whole, a daring sort of person. But at heart he had an enormous respect for authorit

orning, and he was full of it. He expressed his opinion of the headmaster freely and in well-chosen words. He said it

going to do?

y conscious that he had been frothing, and scenting sa

t?" sai

do you

you take th

turn up o

m not go

pped and stared.

're

sha'n't go

re ro

rig

Are you just going to cut off, th

s the

l get

e to do it. If the whole school took Friday off, they

or could th

le-Smith's mind in a

ith after a pause. "It w

t b

k the chaps

stood they wou

her

me of them?" sa

D

quite a lot

d get a couple of dozen from Wain's. We sho

a score, wo

es

e chaps to-night,

m that I shall be going anyhow. I

re mysterious whisperings and gigglings. Groups kept forming in corners apart,

ancy permeated e