The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's Part 17

Ever since he had gathered from Stephen Mr Cripps's wrath on receiving the returned rod, he had been haunted by a dread lest the landlord of the c.o.c.kchafer should march up to Saint Dominic's, and possibly make an exposure of the unhappy business before the Doctor and the whole school.

He therefore, after long hesitation and misgiving, determined himself to call at the c.o.c.kchafer, and try in some way to settle matters. One thing rea.s.sured him. If Cripps had discovered the crack or the fracture in the rod, he would have heard of it long before now; and if he had not, then the longer the time the less chance was there of the damage being laid at his door. So he let three weeks elapse, and then went to Maltby. The c.o.c.kchafer was a small, unpretentious tavern, frequented chiefly by carriers and tradesmen, and, I regret to say, not wholly unknown to some of the boys of Saint Dominic's, who were foolish enough to persuade themselves that skittles, and billiards, and beer were luxuries worth the risk incurred by breaking one of the rules of the school. No boy was permitted to enter any place of refreshment except a confectioner's in Maltby under the penalty of a severe punishment, which might, in a bad case, mean expulsion. Loman, therefore, a monitor and a Sixth Form boy, had to take more than ordinary precautions to reach the c.o.c.kchafer un.o.bserved, which he succeeded in doing, and to his satisfaction--as well as to his trepidation--found Mr Cripps the younger at home.

"Ho, he! my young shaver," was that worthy's greeting, "here you are at last."

This was not encouraging to begin with. It sounded very much as if Mr Cripps had been looking forward to this visit. However, Loman put as bold a face as he could on to it, and replied, "Hullo, Cripps, how are you? It's a long time since I saw you; jolly day, isn't it?"

"Jolly!" replied Mr Cripps, looking very gloomy, and drawing a gla.s.s of beer for the young gentleman before he ordered it. Loman did not like it at all. There was something about Cripps's manner that made him feel very uncomfortable.

"Oh, Cripps," he presently began, in as off-hand a manner as he could a.s.sume under the depressing circ.u.mstances--"Oh, Cripps, about that rod, by the way. I hope you didn't mind my sending it back. The fact is,"

(and here followed a lie which till that moment had not been in the speaker's mind to tell)--"the fact is, I find I'm to get a present of a rod this summer at home, or else of course I would have kept it."

Mr Cripps said nothing, but began polishing up a pewter pot with a napkin.

"I hope you got it back all right," continued Loman, who felt as if he must say something. "They are such fragile things, you know. I thought I'd just leave it in the bag and not touch it, but send it straight back, for fear it should be damaged."

There was a queer smile about Mr Cripps's mouth as he asked, "Then you didn't have a look at it even?"

"Well, no, I thought I would--I thought I wouldn't run any risk."

Loman was amazed at himself. He had suddenly made up his mind to tell one lie, but here they were following one after another, as if he had told nothing but lies all his life! Alas, there was no drawing back either!

"The fact is," he began again, speaking for the sake of speaking, and not even knowing what he was going to say--"the fact is--" Here the street door opened, and there entered hurriedly a boy whom Loman, to his confusion and consternation, recognised as Simon of the Fifth, the author of the "Love-Ballad." What could the monitor say for himself to explain his presence in this prohibited house?

"Hullo, Loman, I say, is that you?" remarked Simon.

"Oh, Simon, how are you?" faltered the wretched Loman; "I've just popped in to speak to Cripps about a fishing-rod. You'd better not come in; you might get into trouble."

"Oh, never mind. You won't tell of me, and I won't tell of you. Gla.s.s of the usual, please, Cripps. I say, Loman, was that the fishing-rod you were switching about out of your window that afternoon three weeks ago?"

Loman turned red and white by turns, and wished the earth would swallow him! And to think of this fellow, the biggest donkey in Saint Dominic's, blurting out the very thing which of all things he had striven to keep concealed!

Mr Cripps's mouth worked up into a still more ugly smile.

"I was below in the garden, you know, and could not make out what you were up to. You nearly had my eye out with that hook. I say, what a smash you gave it when it caught in the ivy. Was it broken right off, or only cracked, eh? Cripps will mend it for you, won't you, Cripps?"

Neither Mr Cripps nor Loman spoke a word. The latter saw that concealment was no longer possible; and bitterly he rued the day when first he heard the name of Cripps.

That worthy, seeing the game to have come beautifully into his own hands, was not slow to take advantage of it. He beckoned Loman into the inner parlour, whither the boy tremblingly followed, leaving Simon to finish his gla.s.s of "the usual" undisturbed.

I need not repeat the painful conversation that ensued between the sharper and the wretched boy. It was no use for the latter to deny or explain. He was at the mercy of the man, and poor mercy it was.

Cripps, with many oaths and threats, explained to Loman that he could, if he chose, have him up before a magistrate for fraud, and that he would do so for a very little. Loman might choose for himself between a complete exposure, involving his disgrace for life, or paying the price of the rod down and 20 besides, and he might consider himself lucky more was not demanded.

The boy, driven to desperation between terror and shame, implored mercy, and protested with tears in his eyes that he would do anything, if only Cripps did not expose him.

"You know what it is, then," replied Cripps.

"But how am I to get the 20 pounds? I daren't ask for it at home, and there's no one here will lend it me. Oh, Cripps, what shall I do?" and the boy actually caught Mr Cripps's hand in his own as he put the question.

"Well, look here," said Mr Cripps, unbending a little, "that 20 pounds I must have, there's no mistake about it; but I don't want to be too hard on you, and I can put you up to raising the wind."

"Oh, can you?" gasped Loman, eager to clutch at the faintest straw of hope. "I'll do anything."

"Very good; then it's just this: I've just got a straight tip about the Derby that I know for certain no one else has got--that is, that Sir Patrick won't win, favourite and all as he is. Now there's a friend of mine I can introduce you to, who's just wanting to put a twenty on the horse, if he can find any one to take it. It wouldn't do for me to make the wager, or he'd smell a rat; but if you put your money _against_ the horse, you're bound to win, and all safe. What do you say?"

"I don't know anything about betting," groaned Loman. "Are you quite sure I'd win?"

"Certain. If you lose I'll only ask 10 pounds of you, there! that's as good as giving you 10 pounds myself on the horse, eh?"

"Well," said Loman, "I suppose I must. Where is he?"

"Wait here a minute, and I'll bring him round."

Loman waited, racked by a sense of ignominy and terror. Yet this seemed his only hope. Could he but get this 20 pounds and pay off Cripps he would be happy. Oh, how he repented listening to that first temptation to deceive!

In due time Mr Cripps returned with his friend, who was very civil on hearing Loman's desire to bet against Sir Patrick.

"Make it a 50 pounds note while you are about it," said he.

"No, 20 pounds is all I want to go for," replied Loman.

"Twenty then, all serene, sir," said the gentleman, booking the bet.

"What'll you take to drink?"

"Nothing, thank you," said Loman, hurriedly rising to leave.

"Good-day, sir," said Cripps, holding out his hand.

Loman looked at the hand and then at Mr Cripps's face. There was the same ugly leer about the latter, into which a spark of anger was infused as the boy still held back from the proffered hand.

With an inward groan Loman gave the hand a spiritless grasp, and then hurried back miserable and conscience-stricken to Saint Dominic's.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE "DOMINICAN" AGAIN.

The circ.u.mstances which had attended the publication of the first number of the _Dominican_ had been such as to throw a damper over the future success of that valuable paper. It was most uncomfortably connected in the minds of the Fifth with the cowardice of Oliver Greenfield, and with the stigma which his conduct had cast upon the whole Form, and they one and all experienced a great diminution of interest in its future.

The Fifth were far more intent on vindicating their reputation with the Sixth--and, indeed, with the rest of the school. They sought every opportunity of bringing on a collision with the monitors. One or two of their number went, so far as to pick quarrels with members of the rival cla.s.s, in hopes of a fight. But in this they were not successful. The Sixth chose to look upon this display of feeling among their juniors as a temporary aberration of mind, and were by no means to be tempted into hostilities. They a.s.serted their authority wherever they could enforce it, and sacrificed it whenever it seemed more discreet to do so. Only one thing evoked a temporary display of vexation from them, and that was when Ricketts and Braddy appeared one day, arm-in-arm, in the pa.s.sages with _tall hats_ on their heads. Now, tall hats on week-days were the exclusive privilege of the Sixth at Saint Dominic's, and, worn by them during school hours, served as the badge of monitorship. This action on the part of the Fifth, therefore, was as good as a usurpation of monitorial rights, and that the Sixth were not disposed to stand.

However, Raleigh, the captain, when appealed to, pooh-poohed the matter.

"Let them be," said he; "what do you want to make a row about it for?

If the boys do mistake them for monitors, so much the less row in the pa.s.sages."

Raleigh was always a man of peace--though it was rumoured he could, if he chose, thrash any two Dominicans going--and the monitors were much disgusted to find that he did not authorise them to interfere with the Fifth in the matter. But the Fifth _were_ interfered with in another quarter, and in a way which caused them to drop their chimney-pots completely. One afternoon the entire Fourth Junior appeared in the corridors in their Sunday tiles! In their Sunday tiles they slid down the banisters; in their Sunday tiles they played leapfrog; in their Sunday tiles they executed a monster tug-of-war in the bottom corridor!

Stephen and Bramble fought their usual battle in top hats, and Master Paul insisted on wearing the same decoration while washing up Oliver's tea-things. It was a splendid hit, and for once in a way Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles scored one, for the Fifth appeared next day in their ordinary "boilers," and the dignity of the monitors was vindicated.

But the blood was up between Fifth and Sixth, and each Form looked forward to the match, Sixth _versus_ School, with redoubled interest.