The Hill Part 12

"Same buzzing in the head, same beastly feeling, same--same old--same old--giddiness." He closed his eyes, and his head fell heavily upon his chest.

"It looks like concussion," said the doctor, doubtfully. "You say he fell?" He turned to John.

"I was just outside the door," said John.

"We'll put him into the sick-room, Mr. Rutford. And in a day or two he'll be himself again."

"Are you sure that what I--er--feared--er----?"

The doctor frowned. "The boy has had brandy, of course."

"Mrs. Puttick and Lovell gave him plenty of that," John interpolated.

"I believe you can exonerate the boy entirely," said the doctor.

John saw that Rutford seemed relieved.

"I have ordered Lovell's room to be searched. If no wine or spirits are found, I shall be glad to believe that I have made a very pardonable mistake."

While Scaife was being removed, Lawrence came in with his report.

Nothing alcoholic had been discovered in Lovell's room. After prayers, which were late that night, Dirty d.i.c.k made a short speech.

"I had reason to suspect," said he, "that a gross breach of the rules of the school had been made to-night by certain boys in this house. It appears I was mistaken. No more will be said on the subject by me; and I think that the less said by you, big and small, the better. Good night."

He strode away into the private side.

Two days later, Scaife came back to No. 15. John wondered why he stared at him so hard upon the first occasion when they happened to be alone.

Then Scaife said--

"Well, young Verney, I shan't forget that, if it hadn't been for you, I should have been sacked. And I shan't forget either that you're not half such a fool as you look."

John exhibited surprise.

"The way you handled the beast," continued Scaife, "was masterly. I heard every word, though my head was bursting. I shall tell Lovell that you saved us. Oh, Lord--didn't I give the show away?"

He never tried to read the perplexity upon the other's face, but went away laughing. He came back with the Caterpillar half an hour later, and the three boys sat down as usual to prepare some Livy. John was sensible that his companions treated him not only as an equal--a new and agreeable experience--but as a friend. In the course of the first ten minutes Scaife said to the Caterpillar--

"He told d.i.c.k to his face that he would lie to save a pal."

And the Caterpillar replied seriously, "Good kid, very good kid. Lovell says he's going to give a tea in his honour."

"No, he isn't. It's my turn."

Accordingly, upon the next half-holiday, Scaife gave a tea at the Creameries. Of all the strange things that had happened during the past fortnight, this to our simple John seemed the strangest. He was not conscious of having done or said anything to justify the esteem and consideration in which Scaife, the Caterpillar, and Lovell seemed to hold him.

"You've forgotten Desmond," he said to Scaife, when the latter mentioned the names of his guests.

"Caesar isn't coming. By the way, Verney, you've not been talking to Caesar about the row in our house?"

"No," said John. "Lawrence came round and said that I must keep my mouth shut."

"And naturally you did what you were told to do?"

The half-mocking tone disappeared in a burst of laughter as John answered--

"Yes, of course."

"And I suppose it never entered your head that Lawrence would not have been so particular about shutting your mouth without good reason."

"Perhaps," said John, after a pause, "Lawrence was in a funk lest, lest----"

"Go on!"

"Lest the thing should be exaggerated."

"Exactly. Lots of fellows would go about saying that I was dead drunk--eh?"

"They might."

"And that would be coming dangerously near the truth."

"Oh, Scaife! Then you really _were_----"

Scaife laughed again. "Yes, I really was, my Moses in the bulrushes!

Don't look so miserable. I guessed all along that you weren't _quite_ in the know. Well, I'm every bit as grateful. You stood up to d.i.c.k like a hero. And my tea is in your honour."

"Oh, Scaife--you--you won't do it again?"

"Get screwed?" said Scaife, gravely. "I shall not. It isn't good enough.

We've chucked the stuff away."

"If they'd found it----"

"Ah--if! The old Caterpillar attended to that. He's a downy bird, I can tell you. When d.i.c.k came into our room, he slipped back to Lovell's room, carried off the whisky, hid it, washed the gla.s.ses, and then dirtied them with siphon and syrup. The Caterpillar and you showed great head. We shall drink your healths to-morrow--in tea and chocolate."

John wondered what Scaife had said to the Fifth. At any rate, they asked John no questions, and treated him with distinguished courtesy and favour; but that evening, when John was f.a.gging in Lawrence's room, the great man said abruptly--

"I saw you walking with Lovell senior this afternoon."

John explained. Lawrence frowned.

"Oh, you've been celebrating, have you? Thanksgiving service at the Creameries. Now, look here, Verney, I've met your uncle, and he asked me to keep an eye on you. Because of that I made you my f.a.g--you, a green hand, when I had the pick of the House."

"It was awfully good of you," said John, warmly.

"We'll sink that. I'm five years older than you, and I know every blessed--and _cursed_"--he spoke with great emphasis--"thing that goes on in this house. I know, for instance, that dust was thrown, and very cleverly thrown, into Rutford's eyes, and you helped to throw it. Don't speak! You didn't quite know what you were up to. Well, it's lucky for Lovell and Co. that one innocent kid was mixed up in that affair. But it's been rather unlucky for you. I'd sooner see you kicked about a bit by those fellows than petted. I'm sorry--sorry, do you hear?--the whole lot were not sacked. And now you can hook it. I've said enough, perhaps too much, but I believe I can trust you."

After this John showed his grat.i.tude by painstaking attention to f.a.gging. Lawrence became aware of faithful service: that his toast was always done to a turn, that his daily paper was warmed, as John had seen the butler at home warm the _Times_, that his pens were changed, his blotting-paper renewed, and so forth. In John's eyes, Lawrence occupied a position near the apex of the world's pyramid of great men.