HOW THE VOTE WAS CARRIED
Hibbert's death caused a lull in the storm that recent events had raised
at Garside. Notwithstanding his illness, it was thought that he was
getting better. It came, therefore, with a shock to the school when he
was found sleeping that afternoon in the garden. The little fellow was
laid to rest in a country churchyard, at some distance from the school,
by the side of the mother whom he had so loved.
No one in the school, with the exception, perhaps, of Mr. Weevil, missed
him so much as Paul did. He had a great pity for Hibbert, and that pity
had grown to love. He never forgot that last scene in the garden--in the
warm sunshine, with the shadows creeping over it, and the Great Shadow
of all drawing nearer and nearer, until it at last rested on the boy's
head.
Nor did he forget the interview he afterwards had with Mr. Weevil, when,
with tones that were strangely uneven for Mr. Weevil, he had questioned
him about all that Hibbert had said in those last moments before he had
fallen asleep. When Paul told him what the boy had said about his
mother--of his dream, and the awakening--the master's eyes blinked as he
had never seen them blink before.
"Ah! He has his wish; he is with her--with his mother," said the master,
as one speaking to himself rather than to Paul. "He is at rest
and--happy."
Then he remained silent for so long, as one buried in deep thought, that
he seemed to have quite forgotten the presence of Paul. Paul knew of
whom he was thinking; that he, too, was thinking of the boy's
mother--the sister whom he had loved and reverenced; so he stole
quietly from the room.
During this time Paul saw nothing of Hibbert's father. He wondered
whether he was still carrying on his schemes in the cave, or whether the
death of his son had altered his plans in any way. In any case, Paul
felt no cause for alarm. The letter of Mr. Moncrief had removed all
cause for anxiety. None the less he could not help feeling anxious as to
what had become of the letter itself. Where had it gone to on that day
it had fallen from his pocket? Into whose hands had it fallen? Had it
fallen into the hands of the enemy, Newall and his lot? If so, what use
were they making of it?
He was still left pretty much to himself, so he was able to put the
finishing touches to his essay on "The Invasion of Great Britain," a
subject, as the reader knows, which had occupied some share of his time
and attention. Then the essay was sent in with others for the
competition.
The breach between him and Stanley, as may be imagined, had not been
lessened by what had happened between them in the common room. Stanley
avoided him as much as possible, and they never spoke.
After the momentary lull in the storm caused by the death of Hibbert, it
broke out again more violently than ever. This was due to the fact that
Mr. Weevil had made no inquiry, or seemed to have made no inquiry, into
the circumstances which had brought about the return of the flag. Newall
and his parasite Parfitt said it was a disgrace to the school.
Thus the storm, which had momentarily lulled, broke out with fresh
vigour. While it was at its height, the Fifth once more assembled in the
Forum. Hasluck presided, as usual, and the rest of the Form, with one
exception--Paul--were present. Arbery and Leveson guarded the door
against invasion from "the little beggars of the Third and Fourth."
Hasluck mounted the rostrum, and brought his mallet down with a bang as
a signal that the meeting had commenced.
"Now then, you fellows, order! I'm not going to spout a lot----"
"Couldn't if you tried!" put in Devey.
"Look here, Devey, are you in the chair, or am I? If you don't keep
quiet, I'll chuck the mallet at you," said Hasluck, raising it
threateningly. "As I said before, till I was interrupted by an ass
braying, I'm not going to spout a lot. What we've got to do is to get to
business, and most of you know what that business is."
"Hear, hear, hear!"
"Most of you were present in the common room when certain charges were
made against Percival by Moncrief major. He told Percival to his face
that the flag business was all a dodge; that it was engineered between
him and the champion of the Beetles. Percival denied it; but you know
what happened after that. Moncrief struck him, and Percival went away
with his tail between his legs just as he did at the sand-pits. We were
all disgusted----"
"All!" echoed the others, with the exception of Waterman, who was
reclining languidly on a box, apparently quite unconcerned in what was
going on.
"We were all disgusted, and decided to take some action which would
bring matters to a point. Unfortunately, Hibbert died just then, and we
could do nothing. We were obliged to wait a decent interval. The time
for waiting's past." (Cheers.) "We've got to get to business. Moncrief
major will explain."
Stanley, with white, set face, was standing between Newall and Parfitt.
After the charge he had made against Paul at Newall's instigation, and
the blow that had followed it, he had been forced into a position from
which it was impossible for him to retreat. First he had been adroitly
forced into the position of being Paul's accuser; and now, with no less
adroitness, he had been compelled to take a step which struck more
cruelly at his friend.
"Oh, I haven't much to explain," he said, in a thick, unnatural voice.
"As Hasluck has said, we all decided to take action after what happened
in the common room. Hibbert's death prevented us. I think you know what
that action is. We're going to call upon the Head to expel Percival from
the school."
A loud cheer greeted this announcement. There could be no doubt as to
the feeling of the Form, and that Stanley had voiced it.
"Move, move!" came from several of the boys, when the cheers had
subsided.
"Yes, we must have everything in order," said Hasluck. "It's about the
first time that we've ever called upon the masters to expel a fellow."
Stanley hesitated. How was it possible for him to strike at Paul
again--this time behind his back!
"Get on--move! What are you stopping for?" demanded Parfitt, nudging him
with his elbow. "I'll back you up."
"Get on," repeated Newall, nudging him from the other side.
"I--I move," said Stanley, in faltering tones, "that we call upon the
Head to expel Percival from the school."
"And I second!" cried Parfitt.
"And I support!" exclaimed Newall.
"Hands up for!" demanded Hasluck.
"One minute before you vote," came the languid voice of Waterman, as the
hands shot up. "You don't want to be in such a hurry. It's bad for the
nerves. People in a hurry have fits. They get themselves into knots and
tangles which take no end of time to get out of, and leave them with a
lovely headache into the bargain. That's what you're going in for--fits,
tangles, headaches. I gave Moncrief major credit for sense. You're not
going to follow his lead, are you?"
The arms that were held up fell. The boys stared at Waterman in
astonishment. It was not often that he took the trouble to speak at
these meetings, but when he did it was usually to the point.
"Of course we are. Why shouldn't we?" exclaimed Parfitt.
"You'll be bigger asses than I took you for--and that's saying a good
deal, you know--if you do. I didn't hear all that took place after
Moncrief struck Percival. The atmosphere was getting bad, you see, and I
don't like breathing bad atmosphere, if I can help it; so I don't know
what passed between you fellows. I've no doubt it was something choice,
and that I lost a great deal; so perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me
why Percival's to be expelled."
This demand on Waterman's part, made in the most innocent manner, was
met with howls of derision. They could never quite tell from Waterman's
manner whether he was serious or poking fun at them; but this time it
seemed quite clear that he could only be poking fun.
"Yes, that's very musical," proceeded Waterman calmly, when the howling
had subsided. "I couldn't do better myself, if I tried. You're going to
expel Percival because you believe he engineered the flag. That's it,
isn't it?" (Cries of assent.) "Good! I like to get at things," retorted
Waterman, still keeping his languid position on the box. "Engineering
the flag means--what? It means that Percival, by trickery, got it away
from Garside. Is that it?"
"Yes, yes!" came the approving shout.
"Well, vote as you like. Here's one that's going to vote against you."
"Why? What's your reason?"
"Because I happen to remember what happened on the day the flag was
lost. Seems to me most of you have forgotten."
Waterman had started up from his languid position on the box; his face
had lost its wearied, languid expression, and had become quite animated.
"I haven't, and never shall, though I never pretend to remember things;
they're so beastly uninteresting, as a rule. This wasn't. That's why I
remember, I suppose. Well, on the afternoon the flag was lost I was
going from the school, when I nearly ran full tilt against a fellow who
was carrying a little chap, dripping wet, in his arms. The fellow was
Percival; the little chap was Hibbert. You know what happened, though
you seem to have forgotten it. Percival, at the risk of his own life,
saved the little chap from the river."
Stanley's head fell to his breast. The scene came to him as Waterman was
speaking. Had he not met Paul on that day staggering along with his
burden? Had he not avoided him, when he might have given a helping hand?
"What's that to do with it?" demanded Newall. "Supposing Percival did
pull the youngster out of the river, what's that to do with the flag?"
"What's that to do with the flag!" repeated Waterman. "It's this to do
with it--how could Percival be playing tricks with the flag, and fishing
at the same time a poor little chap out of the river? Besides, would a
fellow who'd done a splendid thing like that stoop to such a mean thing
as the other?"
"Yes," retorted Newall boldly. "A fellow who would turn tail like he did
at the sand-pits, and again in the common room, would do anything. It's
you who forget, Waterman. We've asked Percival for an explanation. If
he's innocent, why doesn't he explain?"
"I don't know, and what's more, I don't care. What I've seen of Percival
is quite good enough for me."
"Vote, Vote!" cried Parfitt. "We don't want any more twaddle."
Hasluck brought down his hammer as a signal that discussion was at an
end. Then he put the motion moved by Stanley--"That the Form call upon
the Head to expel Percival from the school."
Stanley would have voted against his own proposal had it been possible.
But it was impossible; so his hand went up with the rest--all save one.
"Against!" cried Hasluck.
Up went the hand of Waterman, amid the derisive cheers of those around
him.
"Phew! The atmosphere of this place is getting beastly, just like the
common room on the day when the shindy was. Phew! I don't wish to be
unpolite, but I'm sure you fellows won't mind if I get out of it."
And thrusting his hands into his pockets, Waterman sauntered out.
* * * * *
So the vote was carried that Paul Percival should be expelled from
Garside.