The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's Part 44

"He's the only fellow who is, if that's so," said Wren.

Loman stopped and spoke to them as they came up.

"Hullo! you fellows," said he, in as free and easy a manner as one fellow can a.s.sume to others who he knows dislike him, "I wanted to see you. Which way are you going?--back to the school?"

"Wren and I are going a stroll together," said Callonby, coldly; "good-bye."

"Half a minute," said Loman. "I suppose you heard the results of the Nightingale read out."

"Considering I was sitting on the same form with you when they were, I suppose I did," said Wren.

"That's all right," said Loman, evidently determined not to notice the snubbing bestowed on him. "Mine wasn't a very loud score, was it?

Seventy! I was surprised it was as much!"

The two Sixth boys looked at him inquiringly.

"The fact is, I never tried to answer," said Loman, "and for a very good reason. I suppose you know."

"No--what?" asked they.

"Haven't you heard? I thought it was all over the school. You heard about the Doctor missing a paper?"

"Yes; what about it? Was it found, or lost, or what?"

"No one owned to having taken it, that's certain."

"I should hope not. Not the sort of thing any fellow here would do."

"That's just what I should have thought," said Loman. "But the fact is, some one did take it--you can guess who--and you don't suppose I was going to be fool enough to take any trouble over my answers when I knew one of the other fellows had had the paper in his pocket a day and a half before the exam." And here Loman laughed.

"Do you mean to say Greenfield stole it?" exclaimed both the friends at once, in utter astonishment.

"I mean to say you're not far wrong. But you'd better ask some of the Fifth. It's all come out, I hear, there."

"And you knew of it before the exam?"

"I guessed it; or you may be sure I'd have taken a little more trouble over my answers. It wasn't much use as it was."

Loman had the satisfaction of seeing the two Sixth boys depart in amazement, and the still greater satisfaction of seeing them a little later in confidential conference with Simon, from whom he guessed pretty correctly they would be sure to get a full "all-round" narrative of the whole affair.

"I'm all right with the Sixth, anyhow," muttered he to himself. "I only wish I was as right with that blackguard Cripps."

"That blackguard Cripps" had, next afternoon, the peculiar pleasure of welcoming his young friend and patron under the hospitable roof of the c.o.c.kchafer. As usual, he was as surprised as he was delighted at the honour done him, and could not imagine for the life of him to what he was indebted for so charming a condescension. In other words, he left Loman to open the business as best he could.

"I promised to come and tell you about the exam, didn't I?"

"Eh? Oh, yes, to be sure. That was last Sat.u.r.day. Upon my word, I'd quite forgotten."

Of course Loman knew this was false; but he had to look pleasant and answer, "Well, you see, my memory was better than yours."

"Right you are, young captain. And what about this here fifty-pound d.i.c.ky-bird you've been after?"

"The Nightingale?" said Loman. "Oh, it's all right, of course; but the fact is, I forgot when I promised you the money now, that of course they--"

"Oh, come now, none of your gammon," said Mr Cripps, angrily; "a promise is a promise, and I expect young swells as makes them to keep them, mind that."

"Oh, of course I'll keep them, Cripps. What I was saying was that they don't pay you the money till the beginning of each year."

Loman omitted to mention, as he had omitted to mention all along, that young gentlemen who win scholarships do not, as a rule, have the money they win put into their hands to do as they like with. But this was a trifling slip of the memory, of course!

"I don't care when they pay you your money! All I know is I must have mine now, my young dandy. Next week the time's up."

"But, Cripps, how _can_ I pay you unless I've got the money?"

"No, no; I've had enough of that, young gentleman. This time I'm a-going to have my way, or the governor shall know all about it,--you see!"

"Oh, don't say that!" said Loman. "Wait a little longer and it will be all right, it really will."

"Not a bit of it. That's what you said three months ago," replied Cripps.

"I won't ask you again," pleaded the boy; "just this time, Cripps."

"Why, you ought to be ashamed of yourself, that you ought," exclaimed the virtuous landlord of the c.o.c.kchafer, "a keeping a honest man out of his money!"

"Oh, but I'm certain to have it then--that is, next to certain."

"Oh! then what you're telling me about this here Nightingale of yours is a lie, is it?" said the 'cute Mr Cripps. "You ain't got it at all, ain't you?"

Loman could have bitten his tongue off for making such a blunder.

"A lie? No; that is--Why, Cripps, the fact is--" he stammered, becoming suddenly very red.

"Well, drive on," said Cripps, enjoying the boy's confusion, and proud of his own sharpness.

"The fact is--I was going to tell you, Cripps, I was really; there's been something wrong about this exam. One of the fellows stole one of the papers, and so got the scholarship unfairly."

"And I can make a pretty good guess," said Mr Cripps, with a grin, "which of the fellows that gentleman was."

"No, it wasn't me, Cripps, really," said Loman, pale and quite humble in the presence of his creditor; "it was one of the others--Greenfield in the Fifth; the fellow, you know, who struck you on Sat.u.r.day."

"What, him?" exclaimed Cripps, astonished for once in a way. "That bloke? Why, he looked a honest sort of chap, he did, though I _do_ owe him one."

"Oh," said Loman, following up this temporary advantage, "he's a regular swindler, is Greenfield. He stole the paper, you know, and so won the scholarship, of course. I was certain of it, if it hadn't been for that. I mean to have a row made about it, and there's certain to be another exam, so that I'm sure of the money if you'll only wait."

"And how long do you want me to wait, I'd like to know?" said Cripps.

"Oh, till after Christmas, please, at any rate. It'll be all right then, I'll answer for that."