TOM WARREN SPEAKS HIS MIND
If ever three boys were tired and wet and cold, Ralph and his chums
were when they once again arrived at Mr. St. Clive's; but for all
that, they were three delighted boys, for they had succeeded in their
mission, and Mr. Charlton was safe.
They found that the police had been and gone, and were none the wiser
for their visit. Mr. St. Clive had received them readily, and told them
that he certainly had employed an old gardener, but that the man had
left his employ only a short time before they came, and that he could
give them no information about him.
It was highly distasteful to an honourable gentleman like Mr. St.
Clive even to say anything which, while strictly true, had yet the
qualities of a lie, but in this case he was forced to do so. He could
not give the poor man up to justice--a man whom he honestly believed to
have been wrongly convicted--especially after having received him and
sheltered him so long.
But when Elgert and Dobson heard that the search was unsuccessful, oh,
how angry they were! They had come back with the constables, and Mr.
St. Clive turned to them and spoke very sternly.
"So it appears that I am indebted to you two young gentlemen for this
visit," he said. "First of all you trespass upon my grounds; then you
take upon yourselves to give this information to the police; and now
you have come back uninvited. Kindly oblige me by taking yourselves
off; and understand that if I find you on my grounds again, I shall not
have the slightest hesitation in horsewhipping the pair of you!"
Oh, what a rage Elgert was in! To be spoken to like that! He, the
Honourable Horace Elgert!
He went home and told his father, and Lord Elgert rode over in a
terrible passion to demand an explanation from Mr. St. Clive.
But that gentleman took things very calmly, and his lordship got little
satisfaction from him.
"It is my belief, sir, that my son is correct, and that you have been
harbouring a fugitive from justice!" shouted his lordship. "It is like
you to do that. You have taken that young rascal, Rexworth, in spite of
the knowledge that his father is a man who attempted to rob me."
"Pardon me, Lord Elgert," answered Mr. St. Clive, "I have tried to
repay a debt of gratitude I owe to a brave boy, who rescued my child
from death, at the peril of his own life, because you would not take
the trouble to have your bull properly secured. As to the knowledge
that his father tried to rob you, I know nothing of the kind."
"I have told you so. You have my word for it," replied Lord Elgert; and
Mr. St. Clive answered drily--
"That is a very different thing from knowing it."
"You insult me, sir! You deliberately insult me! But be careful, or you
shall answer for it. Make no mistake, you shall answer for it!" And
with that, his lordship rode off in a towering rage.
Mr. St. Clive did not trouble to tell Ralph all the unkind things which
Lord Elgert had said, for there was nothing to be gained by causing the
boy pain; and so, after giving them all hot cocoa, Warren and Charlton
were sent off to their homes, and Ralph was glad to get to bed, for he
was quite tired out.
And then, after one of those quiet Sundays which he had got to value
so much, he set off for school on the Monday morning, calling for
Charlton, and meeting with Warren on the way.
"Well, Rexworth, and how do you feel to-day?"
Now, if Warren or Charlton had asked that question, there would have
been nothing strange in it; but it was neither of the boys. It was Mr.
Delermain, when the class was assembled; and Ralph, although he felt
surprised, answered that he felt very well.
"Ah!" said the master, and he smiled. "Well, I am glad of that, for
to-day you have to uphold the honour of the Fourth. You will not take
your place for lessons as usual. The examination for the Newlet is
to-day. You are to go to the Head's class-room immediately after
prayers."
"Good luck to you, Rexworth," whispered Charlton, looking quite
nervous; and Tom Warren patted him on the shoulder and added
imploringly--
"Now, mind you keep cool, Ralph--keep quite cool. Don't get flustered
if you cannot answer every question, and don't spend too much time over
the easy ones. Answer them first, as briefly as you can, and then go
for the others. Keep cool, old fellow, for the honour of the Fourth."
Certainly Ralph did feel just a trifle anxious and nervous; but he had
worked hard, and felt pretty well grounded in his subjects, and he
meant to do his best honestly.
So when prayers were over, he rose and went out of the class-room,
while the boys, thinking that the occasion admitted of it, cried out
aloud: "Good luck to you, Rexworth! Hope that you will succeed!"
"Jolly lot of fuss they make about that chap," sneered Dobson to the
boy next him. "It is just a disgrace to let such a fellow as that sit
for the Newlet."
"Especially when a bright, intellectual fellow like Dobson does not
go in for it!" was the answer he received; and Dobson glowered and
muttered something about his "cheek."
Somehow, Charlton could not get on as he ought to have done that
morning. He was so anxious about Ralph, and he was so full of his
father, and wondering whether he was all safe. Mr. Delermain had to
rebuke him once or twice--he did not understand things like Warren
did--and poor Charlton lost his place and got a bad mark; and somehow
he could not help it, the tears would come into his eyes. Dobson saw
it, and grinned. He sniffed, and drew his handkerchief out, pretending
to wipe away tears and wring the water out on the floor. Mr. Delermain
saw him, and Dobson got something to cry for. Six handers, and a bad
mark. Dobson vowed to make Charlton suffer for it, as if it were his
fault that he had been caned.
And he had his chance when recess came.
"Hallo, Elgert!" cried Dobson, as he saw his friend. "I say, I want to
ask you a question. Who was the first gardener?"--and he winked towards
Charlton, who was standing near.
"Adam," was Elgert's reply; and Dobson nodded.
"Quite right; and who was the very last one that we know anything
about, eh?"
"A fellow named Charlton, some relation to one of your Form, I think.
Quite a public personage, and eagerly sought after by the police."
Poor Charlton! His face went white, and his eyes sparkled with anger.
Dobson saw it, and laughed mockingly. Charlton was a weakly boy, and
the bully was by no means afraid of him.
"Funny how some people have queer tastes," he went on. "I should have
thought that breaking stones was no harder work than digging. By the
way, it is breaking stones that they put convicts to, is it not?"
"You say that to insult me?"
Charlton spoke in low tones, and his face was very white; and Dobson
laughed again.
"Oh, I say, you chaps, is not this a rich joke? Here is Charlton asking
if we mean to insult him! My dear fellow, your presence is such an
insult----"
Dobson stopped and ducked, for the maddened boy had struck so fierce a
blow that had the bully received it, it would surely have knocked him
down.
"Go on, Dobson! Give him a hiding!" cried Elgert. But then Tom Warren
pushed forward and cried out--
"Drop that! Charlton, don't be stupid; and you, Dobson, if you want to
fight, fight me."
"I say, you fellows," said Elgert, "how much longer are we going to
be dictated to by Tom Warren? Charlton struck the first blow. It is
his fight, and he ought to go through with it. It is a condescension
on Dobson's part to fight with such a fellow." And some of the boys
murmured approval.
"Hold hard a minute," said Warren. "Since Elgert puts it that way, we
will see if the boot is not on the other foot. Let me see, Dobson asked
who was the last gardener, didn't he?"
"That is it, Warren!" cried some of the others. "And Charlton got mad."
"Very well; now I will tell you why. It seems that Elgert and Dobson,
wanting a little employment, and liking to play the part of spies and
informers----" Elgert started. He had no idea that Warren knew about
that, and it was the very last thing he wished the school to hear of.
He attempted to turn away, but Warren noticed it, and went on.
"You had better stop, Elgert, unless you are too ashamed to let
gentlemen see your face." And Elgert stopped, white to the lips with
passion.
"That is better," said the monitor. "Well, you chaps, I was saying that
our gentlemanly friends, Messrs. Elgert and Dobson, finding it to their
taste to play the part of spies, must needs dog the steps of a lady,
and that lady Mrs. Charlton, under the impression that she would guide
them to the spot where her husband was hidden.
"Now, having played this delightful part, these refined young gentlemen
came upon an old gardener in Mr. St. Clive's grounds, and jumped to the
conclusion that it was the lady's husband in disguise.
"Then they came away and quietly enough, for they had no wish to
disturb the parties concerned. But once away, they set off as hard as
they could go, running all the way, to the police-station, to tell the
constables that the man they wanted was hiding at Mr. St. Clive's.
I would mention the fact that there is a reward offered for the
apprehension of this man; perhaps that had something to do with their
action. And this pair of spies and informers have the impudence to
speak of it being a condescension for one of them to fight a boy in no
way his equal."
"I say, Warren, it can't be true!" cried one boy in disgust. "No fellow
at our school would be such an awful cad!"
"Look at Elgert's face. Does that look like innocence?" answered
Warren. "You can ask Mr. St. Clive, if you like; but you ought not to
want to after that!" And he pointed to Horace Elgert.
Ay, there was no mistake; he looked guilty, and he knew it was no good
trying to deny the charge. He strove to look careless and dignified,
and he turned away on his heel; but then a storm of hisses broke out.
Hisses! They were hissing him! And he had once been their leader! And
above the clamour came the shrill voices of the juniors--
"Sneak! Sneak! Sneak!"
He felt as if he must press his fingers in his ears and run, but he
managed to maintain his slow walk, and got into the class-room, Dobson
at his heels; and the latter asked in consternation--
"How ever did they find out?"
"I don't know--I don't care!" was the fierce answer. "But I will pay
them all out! And to think of Rexworth going in for the Newlet!"
"Won't he crow if he manages to get through!" remarked Dobson; and
Elgert jumped up.
"He must not get through, Dobson; somehow we must stop him."
"That is all very well. But how can we do it?" queried Dobson, with a
shake of his head. And Elgert replied--
"Wait until morning school is over, and I will tell you."