CHAPTER XLVI
WATERMAN DOES A STRANGE THING
For one who had professed himself as beastly hot and fagged, Watermandid a strange thing after he had left the Forum. He walked with a speedthat was simply amazing for him in the direction of St. Bede's; and whatwas still more remarkable, he did not stop until he had reached it. Noneof the Beetles were about at the time, but he had not long to waitbefore he caught sight of one of the junior form.
"Will you tell Wyndham I wish to see him--as quickly as possible."
The boy stared at him, as Murrell had stared at Paul when he had visitedSt. Bede's. It was not till he had repeated his message that he seemedto comprehend.
"Quick, there isn't much time to lose!" exclaimed Waterman, as though itwere a matter of life and death.
Then the boy hurried off, and a minute or two later Wyndham appeared.Waterman was unknown to him; so that he was just as much astonished atseeing him as the smaller boy had been.
"I'm a Gargoyle, you can see that. My name's Waterman, and I've comehere about a fellow named Percival. Spare me the fag of explaining toomuch."
"Percival! What about him!" demanded Wyndham, at once interested.
"There's a strong movement on foot to get him expelled from Garside.It's chiefly over the flag. His best friend, or one who was, has turnedagainst him; and things are looking as black for Percival as they canlook. I'm afraid that he'll get the worst of it, unless something'sdone. I can do nothing; so I've come to you. There's some beastlymystery about the whole business. Percival won't explain because ofsomebody else, and that somebody else is you. I'm certain you won't seePercival kicked from Garside, if a few words from you will set thingsright."
"Kicked from Garside!" exclaimed Wyndham. "Tell me what happened?"
Waterman, feeling that the time for speaking frankly had come, toldWyndham all that had happened--from the day Wyndham had fought andconquered Stanley in the sand-pits.
They remained a long time in conversation, and when Waterman at lengthreturned to Garside, Wyndham returned with him.
In the meantime an interview of a different nature was taking place atGarside. After the meeting in the Forum, Stanley, feeling very wretched,had retreated to his dormitory, where in a few minutes he was joined byhis cousin Harry, who was looking just as miserable and uncomfortable.
"I say, Stan, is it right what I hear--that Percival is to be kicked outof Garside?"
"Well, what if he is? Doesn't he deserve it?"
"I don't know. It's a puzzle. I can't make things out. Look at thisletter. I picked it up while the shindy was going on between you andPaul in the common room. All the fellows were crowding round you. No onesaw the letter but me. Paul dropped it when he was mopping the bloodfrom his face. I ought to have given it back, but I saw that it wasfather's handwriting; so I sneaked off with it, and read it; andthen--then I knew that I'd done a mean thing and did not like to give itback to Paul."
He handed Stanley the letter--the letter in which Mr. Moncrief hadanswered Paul's inquiries about Zuker and Mr. Weevil, and concluded byinviting him and Stanley to Redmead at the next vacation.
"What does it all mean?" demanded Stanley, when he had read the letter.
"I can't make out. I thought, perhaps, you might be able to throw lighton it."
"I'm afraid not; but you might leave it with me. I'll think it over."
"All right; but I say, Stan, you must do something to prevent Paul beingchucked from the school. That's going it a bit too strong. I know whoseworking that beastly dodge--Newall and his jackal Parfitt."
How could Stanley tell his cousin that it was he--Stanley Moncrief--whohad actually moved that Paul should be expelled from the school? If itwere possible for Stanley to have felt more wretched than he had feltwhen Harry came to him, he certainly did so when he was once more alone."I know the great friendship there is between you and my nephewStanley." Those were the words which stared him in the face. Friendship?What mockery! How had he proved his friendship? By doing his best to getPaul expelled from the school. What would his uncle say to him when henext visited Redmead? It was to show him this letter Paul had doubtlesscome to him that day in the common room. And he had met him--with ablow. It was dastardly.
He must do his best to undo the mischief he had done. Stanley startedup, and went to the door; then he paused, and his heart began to hardenagain.
After all, if mischief had been created, Paul was alone responsible. Itwas he, and not Stanley, who had acted in a dastardly manner. It was hewho had run away at the sand-pits, and left him to fight his battle withthe beastly Beetle; it was he----
His meditations were cut short by the door being opened, and theentrance of Waterman.
"Hallo, Moncrief. The very fellow I've been looking for. Horrid borelooking for fellows. Phew! Close in here, isn't it? You look a bit off.Come for a little stroll. I've got a fellow who's dying for anintroduction to you."
Waterman slipped an arm through Stanley's, and before Stanley was awareof it, had led him through the door.
"A fellow--wants to be introduced to me! What fellow?" he demanded.
"Ah, that's it. What fellow? You'd never guess. It's a pleasant littlesurprise I've got in store for you. Think of all your rich uncles andaunts, and people of that sort. Ha, ha! A pleasant surprise, lovely,delightful. Mustn't spoil it by telling you. Come along."
Waterman's reference to uncles at once reminded Stanley of the unclewhose letter he had been reading. Could it be that his uncle Moncriefwas paying him a surprise visit? But Waterman did not take him to thevisitors'-room. He took him out of the grounds to some elms whichflourished not far from the school. Here a boy was leaning against oneof the trees. Stanley glanced at him; then turned white. It was Wyndham.
"Told you I had a little surprise," said Waterman. "Wasn't I right? Ilike little surprises--don't you? Explanations are an awful bore. Inever like explanations if I can get out of them. Wyndham's gotsomething to tell you. You'll find him very decent for a Beetle."
And Waterman vanished with a speed which was really marvellous for him,leaving the two together. The last time they had met face to face theyhad met as antagonists, and had fought hard. The memory of that time waspresent to both of them, for neither seemed anxious to break thesilence.
"Do I understand that you wish to see me?" Stanley presently asked.
"Yes; it was kind of you to come."
"You needn't compliment me, for I mightn't have come had I known whom Ihad to meet," answered Stanley coldly. "Waterman misled me."
"Anyhow, I'm glad you have come, and so will you be, I think, before yougo back. I hope you don't look upon me as an enemy?"
"How else can I look upon you? Have you sent for me to mock me?"
"That's my last wish. I've sent for you to prevent you doing a greatwrong to a friend of yours--Paul Percival."
"A friend of mine!" repeated Stanley, scornfully.
"Well, one who was your friend, and who, I hope, will soon be yourfriend again."
"You have more reason to be thankful to him than I have," laughedStanley, bitterly. "He ran away from you, and left me with the work hehadn't the courage to go on with. I know that I didn't come very wellout of it, but I didn't run away."
"No; you did well--much better than I did. I'm sorry, very sorry, Ifought with you. More so, as by fighting you I separated two friends.Often and often I have prayed to be forgiven. It has all been a ghastlymistake."
"Mistake? Percival running away--there wasn't much mistake about that,I'm thinking."
"That is the greatest mistake of all. All of you put it down to fear ofme; but it wasn't--far otherwise. I don't believe that Paul Percivalknows what fear is; and you, who were his friend, ought to have knownthat as well as I do."
"So I thought--up till then. After, what could I think? What could anyof us think?"
"Your best of him, instead of your worst. Haven't you ever suspected thereason why he would not stand up to me?"
"Never! Why?"
/> "Blind--blind! Do you remember that Percival on one occasion--duringlast vacation--helped a gentleman in distress by acting as hismessenger?"
"Quite well, seeing that that gentleman was my father."
"Your father? Yes, that was the gentleman, I believe, for whom Percivaldid this kindness. He was set upon by the way by two ruffians, butmanaged to escape. Did he ever tell you how he managed it?"
"By hiding down a well."
"Right! But there was a boy who helped him to this queer hiding-place.That boy was me!"
"You?"
"Yes. On the day Percival came to the sand-pits to meet the champion ofthe Beetles, he little knew whom he was to meet. I knew as little whom Iwas to meet. He looked upon me as one who had saved his life. How couldhe fight me? So he turned away."
"Why didn't he explain?" asked Stanley.
"And give away his secret, or, rather, your father's secret, before thatmob of boys? You--you ask that?"
"But after----"
"After? From what he has told me, he made more than one effort toexplain to you, but you would never listen to him."
It was true enough. Stanley remembered it all--the effort Paul had madeto speak to him immediately after the fight, and later. Everything wasnow clear. How noble Paul had been! How he had wronged him! He coveredhis face with his hands. He could not speak. Wyndham respected hissilence.
At length he placed his hand upon the bowed shoulder. Stanley did notshrink from it.
"I'm sorry if I've caused you pain; but it was the only way. Mischief isbeing done. You must prevent it from going any further."
"I will--I will! You can trust me," cried Stanley, fervently. "Paul,Paul, how I've wronged you!"
"I'm glad you see that. You will make it up with him--you will befriends with him once more?"
"Yes, yes; if he will have my friendship. But I don't deserve it. Ideserve kicking. It was kind of you to take so much trouble."
Wyndham turned on his heel, but as suddenly turned round again.
"Would you mind taking my hand, Moncrief?" he said.
Stanley took it in his, and shook it heartily.
"Thanks; I am very sorry it was raised against you. But we understandone another better now."
Stanley wiped away the mist that had somehow gathered in his eyes, andwhen he could see clear Wyndham had gone.
Then he went in search of Paul, anxious to ask his forgiveness, andundo, as best he could, the mischief that had been done. But he couldnot find him.
He searched everywhere with the same result. And, what was still moreastonishing, his cousin was also missing.
Night came on, and still Paul and Harry were missing from the school.
Mr. Weevil began to get alarmed. It was past ten, and still no news ofthe missing boys. What had become of them?