One result of my boating excursion was that Crofter ceased to frequent
his fellow-seniors' studies. There was no declaration of war, or,
indeed, any formal breaking off of relations. But Crofter had sense
enough of his own dignity to feel that he had been slighted by Tempest:
and Tempest and his friends had no inclination to heal the trouble, or
assume an attitude of friendliness they did not feel.
As for me, I found it very hard to steer an even course between the
competing parties. Crofter nodded and spoke to me just as usual, and
was evidently amused by my panic lest these pacific overtures should be
observed or misconstrued by Tempest. Tempest, on the other hand, did
not refer again to the subject, but took a little more pains than before
to look after me and help me in my work. And an evening or two later,
much to my surprise, when I went as usual to "tidy up" in Pridgin's room
while Tempest was there too, my lord and master said abruptly,--
"Let my things alone, kid. Tempest appreciates a mess in his place more
than I do, so I've swopped you for Trimble."
"What?" said I, in tones of mingled amazement and pleasure. "Am I--"
"You're to go and fetch my blazer," said Tempest, "that I left on the
parallel bars in the gymnasium this afternoon. Look alive, or I shall
stick to Trimble."
I really began to think there must be something unusually desirable
about me, that fellows should be so anxious to possess me. The
Philosophers had with one accord sought me for president. Pridgin had
wanted me. Crofter had wanted me. Even Redwood had wanted me. And now
here was old Tempest putting in his claim! He should have me--I would
not be so selfish as to deprive him of the coveted privilege.
In a somewhat "tilted" condition I went off on my errand, not even
delaying to announce the great news to my fellow-Philosophers. It was a
dark evening, and the gymnasium was some way off. But I knew the way by
this time. I had daily walked past the area door and glanced down at
the dangerous guy where it lay with its lolling tongue under the
grating, to assure myself of its welfare. It was all right up till now,
and in two days it would be off my hands.
The square was empty as I crossed it, and, to my satisfaction, I found
the gymnasium door unlocked. I groped my way to the corner where the
parallel bars stood, and there found the blazer, which I carried off in
triumph.
As I emerged from the door and came down the steps, I became aware of
two points of light in front of me, and a voice out of the darkness,
which caused me to jump almost out of my skin,--
"Who is that?"
It was Mr Jarman's voice--and I could just discern his shadowy form
accompanied by that of Mr Selkirk standing before me. The two masters
were evidently taking an after-dinner turn with their cigars, and had
heard my footsteps.
"Jones iv., sir; I came to fetch Tempest's blazer."
"Who gave you leave?"
"Tempest, sir."
"Take the blazer back where you found it, and tell Tempest if he leaves
his things in the gymnasium he must fetch them at proper hours. This is
the third time I have had to speak to you, Jones iv. You must attend an
extra drill to-morrow, and learn fifty lines by heart. This constant
irregularity must be stopped."
So saying, he took his companion's arm and strolled off.
I returned dismally into the dark gymnasium and flung the blazer on to
the nearest seat; and then hurried back to report the result of my
mission to Tempest.
As I guessed, our poor guy downstairs was likely to be nowhere in the
explosion which this last insult called forth.
With clenched teeth Tempest sprang from his seat and snatched his cap.
"It's awfully dark," said I; "if you're going, you'd better take some
matches."
"Fetch me some," said he, with a harsh, dry voice. I fled off, and
returned with a box of fusees, which the Philosophers had laid in for
the approaching celebration of Guy Fawkes' Day.
Tempest snatched them from my hand and strode off. I wished he had let
me go with him. I heard his footsteps swing heavily across the
quadrangle, as if challenging the notice of the enemy. Whether the
enemy heard or answered the challenge I could not say. The steps died
away into silence, and I listened in vain for further sign.
Presently I returned to the faggery, where the Philosophers were just
preparing to obey the summons to bed.
Hurriedly I recited the event of the evening, and for once was honoured
with their rapt and excited attention.
"My eye, what a shame we can't go out and see the fun!" cried Langrish.
"I hope he makes jelly of him," said Trimble. "I'm jolly glad I'm his
fag."
This brought on a crisis I had rather feared.
"You're not," said I. "Pridgin has swopped me for you."
"What!" screamed Trimble, taking a running kick at my shins.
"I didn't do it. Shut up. Trim! that's my leg you're kicking. It was
Pridgin. Go and kick him," said I.
But Trim was in no mood to listen to reason.
"I always said you were a sneak," snarled he; "now I know it. Come and
kick the beast, you fellows. It's all a low dodge. Kick him, I say."
The company showed every disposition to respond to the appeal.
"Look here," said I, "it's not my fault--but if you kick me, I'll tell
him about your precious guy, and you can look after him yourself; I
shan't. There!"
This rather fetched them. As custodian of that illicit effigy I had my
uses, and they hardly cared to dispense with me. So Trimble was ordered
not to make an ass of himself, and the discussion went back to Tempest
and his blazer.
"I tell you what," said Warminster. "I vote we hang about a bit and
cheer him when he comes in. There's no one to lag us for not going to
bed, and we may as well stay and back him up."
With which patriotic resolve we resumed our seats and occupied the
interval with auditing the accounts of the club--a painful and tedious
operation which gave rise to much dispute and recrimination,
particularly when it was discovered that on paper we were 25 shillings
to the good, whereas in the treasurer's pocket we were 6 shillings to
the bad.
The treasurer had a bad quarter of an hour of it, till it was discovered
that the auditors had accidentally forgotten to carry the total of one
column to the top of the next, an oversight which nearly brought about
the dissolution of the club, so fierce was the storm which raged over
it.
More than half an hour was spent over these proceedings, and we began to
wonder why Tempest had not come back. It was certain he must have been
stopped by somebody, or he would have been back in ten minutes. Had he
and Jarman had an encounter? Was Mr Jarman at that moment begging for
quarter? or was our man answering for his riot to the head master?
Half an hour passed, three-quarters, an hour. Then, just as we were
giving him up, hurried footsteps came across the quadrangle, and
Tempest, with pale face and disordered guise, carrying his blazer on his
arm, entered and passed rapidly to his room. His countenance was too
forbidding for us to venture on our promised cheer. Something unusual
had happened. How we longed to know what it was!
I was thrust forward to follow him to his study, on the chance of
ascertaining, and was on the point of obeying, when a terrific sound
broke the silence of the night, and sent us back with white, rigid faces
in a heap into the faggery.
The sound proceeded from the direction of the gymnasium--first of all, a
dull, spasmodic thunder; then a fierce burst, followed almost
immediately by two tremendous reports which shook us to the soles of our
boots.