Riddell, who probably felt the sting of the boat-race mishap more
sensitively than any boy in Willoughby, was pacing the playground in a
dispirited mood a morning or two after, when Dr Patrick suddenly
confronted him.
"Ah, Riddell," said the latter, cheerily, "I'm glad I have met you. I
want to have a talk. Let me see," said he, pulling out his watch,
"there's hardly time now, though. Will you come and have tea with me
this evening?"
Riddell turned pale at the bare suggestion, and would probably have
invented some wild excuse to get off the dreaded honour had not the
doctor continued, "I'm sorry Mrs Patrick and her sister are from home;
they take a great interest in you, I can assure you."
"Oh, not at all," cried Riddell, whom the bare mention of those ladies'
names was sufficient to confuse hopelessly.
"Come at seven o'clock, will you?" said the doctor, pleasantly, not
noticing his head boy's perturbation.
Riddell continued his walk in a state of considerable perplexity. For
some moments he could not get beyond the fact that Mrs Patrick and Miss
Stringer were from home, and the relief of that reflection was
unspeakable. But what could the doctor want him for? Was it to tell
him he did not consider him equal to the duties of captain, and to
relieve him of his office? Riddell devoutly wished it might be so. And
yet he hardly fancied from the head master's manner this was to be the
subject of their interview.
Perhaps it was to cross-examine him as to the boat-race. That wretched
boat-race! Riddell had hardly had a minute's peace since that
afternoon. The burden of the whole affair seemed to rest upon him. The
taunts of the disappointed Parretts, which glanced harmless off minds
like Fairbairn's and Porter's, wounded him to the quick, and, until the
mystery should be solved, Riddell felt almost like a guilty party
himself. He rather hoped the doctor did want to talk about this. It
would be a relief to unburden his mind, at any rate. But even these
troubles were slight compared with Riddell's concern about his old
friend's brother. In spite of all his efforts young Wyndham was going
wrong. He was getting more irregular in his visits to Riddell's study,
and when he did come he was more reserved and secret, and less inclined
to confide in his friend than before. It was easy to guess the reason,
and Riddell felt baffled and dispirited as he thought about it. To save
young Wyndham from his bad friends would be worth to him more even than
to secure the order of Willoughby, or to discover the perpetrator of the
boat-race outrage.
In this troubled state of mind Riddell passed the day till the time
arrived for him to present himself at the doctor's.
He entered warily and suspiciously, as though not quite sure whether,
after all, the two ladies might be lying in ambush somewhere for him.
But no, there was no deception, only the doctor was there, and he,
unrestrained by the presence of his usual bodyguard, was most friendly
and cordial.
"Ah, Riddell, glad to see you. Sit down. You find me a bachelor, you
see, for once in a way."
Riddell was soon at his ease. The doctor chatted pleasantly over their
tea about various Willoughby topics, giving his opinion on some and
asking the captain's opinion on others, and so delicately showing his
sympathy for the boy in his difficulties and his approval of his efforts
for the good of the school, that Riddell was quite won over, and
prepared for the serious matter which the doctor presently broached.
"Yes," said the latter, in reply to some reference by Riddell to the
Welchers. "Yes, I am a good deal concerned about Welch's house,
Riddell. I dare say you can understand why."
"I think so, sir. They don't seem to pull together there somehow, or
have the sympathy with the good of the school."
"Precisely. That's just what it is," said the doctor, delighted to find
his head boy so exactly understanding the nature of the house over which
he was to be installed. "They seem to be `each man for himself, and
none for the State,' I fear."
"I think so," said Riddell. "They hold aloof from most of the school
doings, unless there's a chance of a row. They had no boat on the river
this year, and I don't think they will have a man in the eleven against
Rockshire. And they seem to have no ambition to work for the school."
The doctor mused a bit, and then said, with a half-sigh, as if to
himself, "And I wish that were the worst of it." Then turning to
Riddell, he said, "I am glad to hear your opinion of Welch's house,
Riddell, and to find that you seem to understand what is wrong there.
What should you say to taking charge of that house in future?"
This was breaking the news suddenly, with a vengeance, and Riddell
fairly gaped at the head master as he sat back in his chair, and
wondered if he had heard aright.
"What, sir!" at length he gasped; "_I_ take charge of Welch's!"
"Yes, my boy," said the doctor, quietly.
"Oh, I could never do it, sir!" exclaimed Riddell, pale at the very
notion.
"Try," said the head master. "It may not be so impossible as you
think."
"I'm not popular, sir," faltered Riddell, "and I've no influence.
Indeed, it would only make things worse. Try some one else, sir. Try
Fairbairn."
"I shall want Fairbairn to be the head of the schoolhouse," said the
doctor.
"I'm sure it would be a mistake, sir," repeated Riddell. "If there was
any chance of my succeeding I would try, but--"
"But," said the doctor, "you have not tried. Listen, Riddell; I know I
am not inviting you to a bed of roses. It is a come-down, I know, for
the captain of the school and the head of the schoolhouse to go down to
Welch's, especially such a Welch's as ours is at present. But the post
of danger, you know, is the post of honour. I leave it to you. You
need not go unless you wish. I shall not think worse of you if you
conscientiously feel you should not go. Think it over. Count all the
cost. You have already made a position for yourself in the schoolhouse.
You will have to quit that, of course, and start afresh and single-
handed in the new house, and it is not likely that those who defy the
rules of the school will take at first to a fellow who comes to enforce
them. Think it all over, I say, and decide with open eyes."
The doctor's words had a strange inspiriting effect on this shy and
diffident boy. The recital of all the difficulties in the way was the
most powerful argument to a nature like his, and when at length the
doctor wished him good-night and told him to take till the following day
to decide, Riddell was already growing accustomed to the prospect of his
new duty.
For all that, the day that ensued was anxious and troubled. Not so much
on account of Welch's. On that point his mind was pretty nearly made
up. It seemed a call of duty, and therefore it was a call of honour,
which Riddell dare not disobey. But to leave the schoolhouse just now,
when it lay under the reproach caused by the boat-race accident; and
worse still, to leave it just when young Wyndham seemed to be drifting
from his moorings and yielding with less and less effort to the
temptations of bad companions--these were troubles compared with which
the perils and difficulties of his new task were but light.
For a long time that night Riddell sat in his study and pondered over
the doctor's offer, and looked at it in all its aspects, and counted up
all the cost.
Then like a wise man he took counsel of a Friend. Ah! you say, he
talked it over with Fairbairn, or Porter, or the acute Crossfield--or,
perhaps, he wrote a letter to old Wyndham? No, reader, Riddell had a
Friend at Willoughby dearer even than old Wyndham, and nearer than
Fairbairn, or Porter, or Crossfield, and that night when all the school
was asleep, little dreaming what its captain did, he went to that Friend
and told Him all his difficulties about Welch's, and his anxieties about
young Wyndham, and even his unhappiness about the boat-race; and in
doing so found himself wonderfully cheered and ready to face the new
duty, and even hopeful of success.
Next morning he went to the doctor and told him he was ready to enter on
his new duties. Dr Patrick was not the man to flatter his head boy or
to inspire him with undue hopes; but he was undoubtedly gratified by the
decision, and Riddell felt encouraged in the consciousness of his
sympathy.
At call-over that evening the Welchers had the pleasure of being
informed by the doctor of the new arrangements proposed for their
welfare, and, it need hardly be said, were considerably moved thereby.
At first they were disposed to regard the affair as a joke and a capital
piece of fun. But when that evening Riddell put in an appearance at
supper, in their house, and when Telson was intercepted bringing over
his late master's goods and chattels to the study next but one to that
of Silk, they began to take the matter in rather more seriously.
For the first time for a long while Welch's house seemed to be of one
mind--a mind made up of equal mixtures of resentment and amazement and
amusement. Probably, had they been more accustomed to thinking
together, they would have summoned a monster meeting, as Parrett's would
have done, to discuss the situation. As it was, they resolved
themselves into several small groups, each of which dealt with the topic
of the hour in its own way.
The juniors of course had a good deal to say on the subject. Pilbury,
Cusack, Philpot, Morgan, and a few other kindred spirits held a council
of war in the study of the two former immediately after supper.
"Rum start this, eh, Pil!" said Cusack, by way of opening proceedings.
"You know," said Pil, confidentially, "I'm not surprised. He made such
a regular mess of it in the schoolhouse."
"Don't know what's the good of his coming here, then," said Philpot;
"our fellows aren't a bit quieter than the schoolhouse."
No one was bold enough to dispute this peculiarly modest description of
the order of Welch's house.
"I wonder if he's been kicked out of the captaincy as well?" asked
Cusack, who was apparently convinced in his own mind that the new move
was a degradation for Riddell.
"I don't know," said Morgan; "Paddy said something about it being a good
thing for us to get the captain of the school as head of our house."
"Oh, ah--a jolly good thing," said Pilbury; "jolly lookout for us if
he's stuck here to pull us up whenever we have a lark."
"Bless you, _he_ can't pull a fellow up!" said somebody. "They said he
used to now and then in the schoolhouse."
"Not he. He's afraid to look at a chap."
"I say," said Cusack, "rather a spree to fetch him, eh, you fellows, and
see how he does. Eh?"
"I'm game," said Pilbury; "what shall we do? Smash in his study-door?"
"Oh, no," said Cusack, "no use doing that. Let's give him `Bouncer' to
start with."
"That ought to startle him up," said Philpot, laughing, "if he's not
used to it."
"Rather--open the door a bit, Morgan. Now, you fellows, are you all
game? All together."
And with that the party struck up at the top of their voices the famous
old Willoughby chorus, of which the first verse runs as follows:
"Oh, Bouncer was a Willoughby chap, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
Upon his head he wore his cap, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
Below his cap he wore his head,
His eyes were black and his hair was red,
And he carried his bat for a cool _hundred_,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!"
This poetic record of the virtues and accomplishments of their legendary
school hero gave ample scope, as the reader may surmise, for spirited
declamation; and on the present occasion more Welchers than Riddell were
startled by the sudden and vehement outburst of the patriotic hymn.
Indeed, as it appeared to be a point of honour with the vocalists to
pitch no two voices in the same key, the effect was even alarming, and
suggested the sudden letting loose of a menagerie.
The singers waited meekly for a few seconds to see whether their efforts
had met with the success they deserved. But as a dead silence reigned,
and no one came, they considerately determined to give their audience
another chance; and therefore launched forthwith into the second verse,
which was delivered with even more dramatic power than the first:
"Old Bouncer stood six foot and an inch, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
And four foot round his chest was a pinch, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
Twelve stone two was his fighting weight,
And he stroked our boat for the champion plate,
And ran his mile in four thirty-eight,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!"
This time the heroic efforts of the melodious juniors had their reward.
Before the last line was reached the door of the new captain's study
opened, and Riddell appeared in the passage. His first appearance in
his new capacity was naturally a matter of curiosity on every hand; and
as he approached the scene of the noise he became aware that almost
every occupant of the passage was standing at his door, watching
curiously for what was to happen.
He certainly did not look, as he walked nervously down the corridor, the
sort of fellow to quell a riot; and any one might have prophesied that
he was not likely to come off any better now than he did when he once
went on a similar errand to the stronghold of the Limpets.
And yet the weeks that had elapsed since then had not been thrown away
on Riddell. Would the reader like to hear what his thoughts were as he
neared the scene of his trial?
"What had I better do? If I get in a rage I shall only make a fool of
myself; if I report them to the doctor I shall be shirking my own work;
if I remonstrate mildly and do no more, my chances in Welch's are done
for, and these fellows who are on the lookout for my failure will get
their crow. I _must_ get on the right side of these youngsters if I
can, so here goes!"
With this reflection he reached the door just as the third verse of
"Bouncer" commenced, the performers having carefully turned their backs
so as to appear wholly unconscious of a visitor. Verse three referred
altogether to the intellectual attainments of the wonderful Bouncer.
"Bouncer was the cock of the school, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
And Socrates to him was a fool, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
He could cross the `asses' bridge in the dark,
And `Hic Haec Hoc' he thought a lark.
And swallowed irregular verbs like a shark,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!"
Before this spirit-stirring recital had reached its climax one or two of
the performers had found it impossible to resist a look round to see how
the captain took it. So that the "surprise" at finding him standing
there at its conclusion fell rather flat.
Much to the disappointment of the spectators outside, moreover, Riddell
shut the door behind him. The juniors eyed him curiously. Contrary to
their expectation, he neither looked frightened nor confused, but his
face was as cheery as his voice as he said, "You see, I couldn't resist
your beautiful music."
Was he in jest or earnest? Did he really mean he had enjoyed the
chorus, or was he poking fun at them? They could not quite tell.
"Oh," said Cusack, not quite as defiantly, however, as he could have
wished, "that's a song we sing among ourselves, isn't it, you fellows?"
"Ah!" said Riddell, before "the fellows" could chime in, "it's good fun
belonging to a musical set--especially for songs like this, that appear
to have several tunes all sung at once! You should give a concert."
The boys looked more perplexed than ever. It sounded like chaff, and
yet they could scarcely believe it was. So they smiled vacantly at one
another, and began to feel the situation a little awkward.
"I suppose," continued Riddell, feeling his way carefully--"I suppose
between nine and ten is the usual time for singing in Welch's? I
fancied it was before supper!"
"Oh!" said Pilbury, "we do as we like here."
"Do you, really?" replied the captain. "How jolly that must be!"
Cusack and Pilbury could hardly tell why they laughed at this very
innocent observation, but they did, and Riddell was quick enough to see
his advantage.
"You know, I'd be very sorry to interfere with the beautiful music," he
said; "but do you think you could get to like not to sing after supper?"
The boys stared as if they were not quite sure yet how to take it.
However, the captain made himself clear without further delay. "The
fact is," said he, a trifle nervously, but in his friendliest
tones--"the fact is--I don't know what you think, but I'd be awfully
glad if you fellows would back me up for a week or two in Welch's. Of
course, you know, the doctor's put me here, and I don't suppose you're
much alarmed by the move, eh? You needn't be."
"We aren't," said Morgan, in a decidedly mild attempt at heroism.
"I'm glad of that," said the captain; whereat the rest of the company
laughed at the unlucky Morgan, who had quite expected the joke to go the
other way. "You know," continued Riddell, sitting upon the table and
talking as familiarly as though he were in his own study, "I'd rather
like if among us we could pull Welch's up a bit before the end of the
term. It seems rather a shame, for instance, we didn't have a boat on
the river these races, and that there's not a single Welcher in the
first eleven."
"It's a beastly shame!" said Philpot. "Bloomfield's down on us, you
know; he's got a spite against us."
"Oh! I don't know," said Riddell. "I fancy if we'd got some good
enough men he'd be only too glad to put them in. After all, the glory
of the school is the chief thing."
"Tucker and Silk will never practise," said Cusack. "I know _I_ would
if I'd got the chance."
"Well, I don't see why you shouldn't start the House Cricket Club this
year, at any rate," said Riddell.
"That's just what Tucker and Silk won't do. We wanted them to do it,
didn't we, Pil?"
"Rather!" said Pil; "and they told us to mind our own business."
"Suppose we start it ourselves?" suggested the captain; "I'm a Welcher
now, you know. I don't see why, because Tucker and Silk object, the
whole house should be done out of its cricket."
"No more do I," said Philpot.
"They'll kick up a jolly row with us, though," said Morgan.
"I don't think so," said Riddell. "At any rate, that's no reason why
there shouldn't be a club."
"All serene!" said Cusack, warming up to the notion, and quite
forgetting "Bouncer."
"I say, Riddell, couldn't we start it now?"
"Yes, certainly," said Riddell; "why not? I propose Cusack be the
secretary."
"Oh, I say!" cried that youth, blushing, half with pleasure and half
with embarrassment; "you'd better be that, Riddell."
"Oh, no," said Riddell, laughing, "I don't know the fellows so well as
you. If you were secretary, and Pilbury or Philpot treasurer, I'd be
president, or something of that sort, if you like."
The idea of the new club took like wildfire, and an enthusiastic
consultation followed. It was resolved to summon a meeting next day of
all who took an interest in the sport, and to arrange for a trial match
at once. Riddell went as warmly into the details as any one, and took
every opportunity of working up the patriotic spirit of his younger
companions.
"You know," said he, "I don't see at all why we shouldn't be able to get
together a team for the junior elevens if we practise hard."
"The nuisance is," said Cusack, "we're stopped an hour a day's play all
this term."
"What for?" inquired the captain.
The melancholy story of Mr Parrett and the sulphuretted hydrogen was
recounted.
"It's a pity," said he, gravely.
"I wonder if Paddy would mind giving us a licking instead," suggested
Pilbury, whose hands were of the horny kind.
Even the others whose palms were less seasoned seemed willing to fall in
with this alternative, but Riddell discouraged it.
"No," said he, "he's not likely to do that. But I tell you what I'll
do. I'll see him and Parrett and tell them about the club, and
undertake that you'll be steady the rest of the term if they'll let you
off. Do you think I'd be safe in saying so?"
"Rather! I'll promise, for one," cried Cusack.
"And I'll try," said Pilbury.
"So will we," said the others.
So it was settled. And when next day Riddell in triumph was able to
announce that the doctor and Mr Parrett had agreed to withdraw the
prohibition, in consideration of the captain's promise on their behalf,
great was the jubilation.
Greater still was Riddell's own satisfaction in feeling that he had at
least made a good start towards getting on the right side of the juniors
of his new house.