The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's Part 53

Why, they were twice the friends they were before! Twice! Fifty times!

And they laughed and talked and made fools of themselves for a whole half-hour over the discovery, and might have done so for an hour, had not Stephen, who had patiently remained outside for a reasonable time, now returned to join in the celebration.

"Stee, you young beggar," said Wraysford, as the boy entered, "if you don't have my tea piping hot to-night, and fresh herrings for three done to a regular turn, I'll flay you alive, my boy. And now, if you're good, you may come and kick me!"

Stephen, overflowing with joy, and quite rickety with emotion, flew at his old friend, and, instead of kicking him, caught hold of his arm, and turning to his brother, cried, "Oh, Noll! _isn't_ this prime? Why, here's old Wray--"

"That beast Wraysford," suggested the owner of the t.i.tle; "do give a fellow his proper name, young 'un."

This little interruption put Stephen off his speech; and the three, locking the study-door, settled down to talk rationally, or, at any rate, as rationally as they could, over affairs.

"You see," said Wraysford, "I can't imagine now what possessed me to make such a fool of myself."

"Now you needn't begin at that again," said Oliver. "If I hadn't cut up so at that jacka.s.s Simon, when he began about my being in the Doctor's study that evening, it would never have happened."

"Bah! any one might have known the fellow was telling lies."

"But he wasn't telling lies," said Oliver. "I _was_ in the Doctor's study all alone that evening, and at the very time the paper went too.

That's just the queer thing about it."

"You were?" exclaimed both the boys, for this was news even to Stephen.

"Yes, of course I was. Don't you know I went to see him about Stephen, and that row he had up at the Lock?"

"Oh, yes," said Stephen, "I remember. I was in a regular blue funk that evening."

"Well, the Doctor wasn't there. I hung about a few minutes for him, and then, as he didn't turn up, I left, and met that old b.o.o.by just as I was coming out of the door."

"And he's gone and told everybody he saw you coming out with the paper in your pocket."

Oliver laughed loud at this.

"Upon my word, the fellow must have sharp eyes if he could do that!

Well, I was so disgusted when he came up after the examination, and began to insinuate that I knew all about the missing paper, that--Well, you know how I distinguished myself."

"It would have served him right if you'd throttled him," observed Wraysford. "But I say, Noll," added he more gravely, "why on earth, old man, didn't you say all this then? What a lot of unpleasantness it would have saved."

"What!" exclaimed Oliver, suddenly firing up, "do you suppose, when the fellows all chose to believe that miserable idiot's story, I was going to stir a finger or bother myself a snap about what they thought? Bah!

I'm not angry now, Wray; but, upon my word, when I think of that time--"

"What a pack of curs we all were," said Wraysford, almost as angry as his friend.

"Hear, hear!" put in Stephen, an observation which had the effect of making the whole thing ridiculous and so restoring both the friends to their composure.

"But, Noll, I say, old man," said Wraysford, presently, "of course you didn't intend it, but if you meant to make every one believe you did it, you couldn't have gone on better than you did. I'm certain not half the fellows would have believed Simon if you hadn't--"

"Made such an a.s.s of myself," said Oliver, laughing. "Of course I can see now how it would all work in beautifully against me, and I'm certain I've myself to thank for the whole business."

"Now, don't say that. Nothing can excuse the way all of us treated you, poor old boy. But, thank goodness, it's all right now. I'll let them know--"

"Now, Wray, that's just what I won't have you do. You must not say a word to them about it, or, seriously, I'll be in a great rage. If they can't think well of me of their own accord, I won't have them do it for anybody else's, so there."

"But, Noll, old man--"

"Upon my word, Wray, I mean what I say. Not a word to anybody."

"Do you mean to say you intend to live at Coventry all your life?"

"It's not Coventry now, is it, Stee, old boy?" said Oliver, with a bright smile. "And now, Wray," said he, "I want to know how you got on in the exam to-day. You were going ahead furiously, it seemed to me."

"Yes, but wasn't doing much good, I'm afraid. How have you done?"

"Pretty well; but I hadn't time to touch the last question."

"I knew, as soon as I saw you were entered for the exam," said Wraysford, "we had all been taking you up wrong. I can guess now why you went in for it."

"Well, it struck me it might be a way of putting myself right with the fellows if I won; but I'm half afraid I won't win, and then their highnesses will be doubly sure of my villainy!"

"I know you will win," said Wraysford.

"If I do I shall feel an awful blackguard, for you would have been certain of it."

"I'm not so very sure. However, I think I could have beaten Loman."

"He seemed out of it, quite. Do you know I think that fellow is going to the dogs altogether?"

"Pity," said Wraysford, "if he is, but it does look like it."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

LOMAN IN LUCK AGAIN.

It certainly did look as if Loman was going to the dogs. And any one able to see and know all that was going on in his mind would have found out that he was a good deal nearer "the dogs" even than he seemed.

On the evening after the examination he received a note from Cripps-- brought up in a most barefaced way by one of the potboys at the c.o.c.kchafer--requesting the pleasure of Mr Loman's company at that pleasant spot _immediately_, to talk over business!

"Why didn't he send it by post?" demanded Loman, angrily, of the disreputable messenger. "Don't you know if you were seen up here there'd be a row?"

"Dunno so much about that, but the governor, he says he's dead on the job this time, he says, and if you don't show up sharp with the stumpy, he says he'll give you a call himself and wake you up, he says--"

"Tell him I'll come, and go off quick," said Loman, hurriedly.

"Beg pardon, mister," said the potboy, with a leer, and touching his cap, "anything allowed for this here little job--carrying up the letter?"

"I'll allow you a kick if you don't go!" exclaimed the wretched Loman, furiously.

"Oh, very good," said the boy, making a long nose. "Wait till the governor walks up. We'll see who'll kick then!"