The Master of the Shell Part 38

"Why, he got up a sweep on the Derby, and got us each to sh.e.l.l out six stamps, and there were twenty-one fellows in, and I drew Blazer, the winner; and now he won't give me the stakes, and says my Blazer is a mistake for Catterwaul!"

Railsford frowned.

"This is a serious matter. You know the rule about gambling."

"Oh, please, sir," said Mills, who had dropped all his bravado, as he realised that he stood a good chance of being expelled, "I really didn't mean it for gambling; it wasn't for money, only stamps; and I thought there was no harm. I'll never do such a thing again, sir, really." And he almost went on his knees.

"The doctor must deal with this matter, Mills," said Railsford sternly.

"You must go to him to-morrow evening."

"Oh, Mr Railsford, he'll expel me!" howled the culprit.

"Good job, too," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Dig, _sotto voce_.

"Possibly," said the master. "Where is the money?"

Dig's spirits rose. He knew he would get his rights!

"The stamps--here, sir," said the wretched Mills, going to his desk.

"And where is the list of names?"

Mills produced it, tremulously. Railsford's brows knit as he glanced down it.

"Each of these boys gave you six stamps?"

"Twenty-one sixpences, ten-and-six," said Dig, rehearsing his mental arithmetic.

"Yes, sir. I really didn't mean to cheat, sir."

"Yes, you did," yapped Dig, who now that he was to finger his winnings had perked up wonderfully.

"Silence, Oakshott," said Railsford angrily. "Your name is here, last on the list. Take back your six stamps, and write me out one hundred lines of Livy by Thursday morning."

Poor Dig turned green, and staggered back a pace, and stared at the six stamps in his hand.

"Why!" gasped he. "I had Blazer--I--"

"Be silent, sir, and go to your study, and tell Tilbury to come here."

In due time Tilbury came, and received back his six stamps, and a hundred lines of Livy, and an order to send the next boy on the black list to receive a similar reward for his merits. And so the tedious process went on, and that afternoon, in Mills's study, twenty boys sadly took back six stamps each, and received among them two thousand lines of Livy, to be handed in on Thursday morning. One name remained: the first on the list, and consequently the last in the order in which Railsford had taken it.

"I will return these," said he, taking up the six remaining stamps, "to Felgate myself."

Mills made one more appeal.

"Do let me off going to the doctor, sir!" implored he. "Why, sir, I never thought it could be wrong if Felgate went in for it, and they've all got their stamps back, sir. Please let me off."

"I cannot do that. If the doctor treats you less severely than you deserve, it will be because you have made this reparation, instead of carrying out the act of dishonesty you had it in your mind to perpetrate."

And he left him there, and proceeded, with a heart as heavy as any he had worn since he came to Grandcourt, to Felgate's study.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

THE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB.

Felgate, as we have said, had almost forgotten the existence of the sweep or the fact that he had given his name to the venture. When therefore Railsford unexpectedly walked into his study, he did not in any way connect the visit with that trivial incident. He conjured up in his mind any possible motive the master could have for this interview.

He could only think of one, and perceiving a paper in Railsford's hands, concluded that he had discovered the authorship of a certain anonymous letter addressed to Mr Bickers, and had looked in for a little explanation.

Felgate was quite prepared to gratify him, and promised himself a cheerful quarter of an hour over so congenial an occupation. He was, in consequence, considerably mortified when the real object of the visit unfolded itself.

"Felgate," said Railsford, "I have come to you on very unpleasant business. This is not the first time I have had to caution you that your example in the house is neither worthy of a prefect nor a senior boy."

"Thank you, sir," said Felgate, with ostentatious indifference. He had better have remained silent, for Railsford dismissed whatever of mildness he had come armed with, and stood on his dignity.

"Don't be impertinent, Felgate; it will do you no good. I want to know how it comes that your name appears here at the head of a list of entries for a sweepstake on a horse race, when you as a prefect know that gambling in any shape or form is strictly prohibited here?"

Felgate, taken back by this unexpected indictment, looked at the paper and laughed.

"I really don't know how my name comes there. I can't be supposed to know why anybody who likes should write my name down on a piece of paper."

"You mean to say that you never entered your name?" asked Railsford, beginning to feel a sense of relief.

"Certainly not."

"You were asked to do so? What did you reply?"

"I haven't a notion. I probably said, don't bother me--or do anything you like, or something of that sort."

"Did you point out that it was against the rules?"

"No. Is it against the rules? There doesn't seem any harm in it, if fellows choose to do it. Besides, it wasn't for money."

"Did you give six stamps?"

"Stamps? I fancy someone came to borrow some stamps of me a week or so ago. I forget who it was."

"Felgate," said the master with a tone of scorn which made the prefect wince, "it is hardly worth your while to tell lies when you can satisfy me of your guilt quite as easily by telling the truth. I won't ask you more questions, for I have no wish to give you more opportunities of falsehood. Here are your six stamps. Go to Doctor Ponsford to-morrow at 8 p.m."

Felgate looked blank at this announcement.

"What!" he exclaimed. "Go to the doctor? Are you going to tell him about a trifle like this?"

"It is no trifle for a prefect deliberately to break the school rules and encourage others to do so. I have said the same thing to you before."

"Look here, Mr Railsford," said Felgate, with a curious mixture of cringing and menace. "It's not fair to send me to the doctor about a thing like this. I know you have a spite against me; but you can take it out of me without bringing him into it. I fancy if you knew all I know, you'd think twice before you did it."