by Harold Avery
CHAPTER XV.
THE READING-ROOM RIOT.
Thurston followed up his withdrawal from the football team by a numberof other actions which clearly showed a determination to spend what wasknown to be his last term at Ronleigh in living at open enmity withthose who had once been his friends and associates. He never playedunless it was in one of the rough-and-ready practice games, composedchiefly of stragglers, who, from being kept in and various other causes,were too late for the regular pick-ups, and came drifting on to thefield later in the afternoon. He severed his connection with thedebating society, and shunning the society of his comrades in the Sixth,was seen more frequently than ever hobnobbing with Gull and Hawley, orlounging about in conversation with Noaks and Mouler.
Fletcher senior, a mean, double-faced fellow, continued, as the sayinggoes, "to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds."
"It's an awful pity about old 'Thirsty,'" he would say to his brotherprefects. "I try to keep him a bit straight; but upon my word, if hewill go on being so friendly with such cads as Gull and Noaks, I shallchuck him altogether."
The speaker's methods of endeavouring to keep his chum straight were, tosay the least of it, not very effective, and, if anything, rather morecalculated to encourage him still further in his descent along thedownward road.
"Look here!" said Fletcher, as they sat one evening talking inThurston's study: "don't you think you'd better make peace withAllingford and the rest, and be a nice white sheep again, instead of agiddy old black one? I can tell you at present they don't look upon youas being a particular credit to the Sixth."
"I don't care what they think; they're a beastly set of prigs, and I'llhave nothing more to do with them--with Allingford especially."
"Well, of course," answered Fletcher, with an air of resignation, "thequarrel's yours and not mine. I must own that I think Allingford made agreat deal of unnecessary fuss over that Black Swan business, and actedvery shabbily in making you send in your resignation just before theholidays. There's something, too, that I can't understand about thedoctor's not confirming your re-election; and I think there ought tohave been some further attempt made to get you to remain in the team--you did a lot of good service last season. However, my advice is, Putyour pride in your pocket, and return to the fold."
Young Carton had shown that he possessed a certain amount of insightinto character when he told Diggory that Thurston was a dangerous fellowto cross. The ex-prefect's brow darkened as Fletcher enumerated thislist of real or imaginary grievances, and at the conclusion of thelatter's speech there was a short silence.
"Yes," said Thurston, suddenly making the fender jump and rattle with avicious kick. "Allingford's got his knife in me; he's bent on spoilingmy life here. But that's a game two can play at. I've got a plan ortwo in my head, and I'll take the change out of him and those otherprigs before the term's finished."
Grundy still continued to brag and swagger in the Lower Fourth, but hisattitude towards Jack Vance suddenly underwent a change. Towards thelatter he assumed quite a friendly bearing, and though still remaining astanch Thurstonian, refrained from making himself aggressively obnoxiousto the Triple Alliance. The hatchet had been buried for nearly afortnight when an event happened which caused Ronleigh College to beonce more convulsed with excitement and party feeling--a certain air ofmystery which pervaded the whole affair tending to considerably increasethe interest which the occurrence itself awakened.
Allingford had not, perhaps, been altogether wise in his choice of Lucasas keeper of the reading-room. The latter was a studious, hard-workingboy in the Fifth, whose parents were known to be in comparatively poorcircumstances, and the captain had named him in preference to Ferris,thinking that the guinea which was given as remuneration to the holderof this post, as well as to the two librarians, would be speciallyacceptable to one who seldom had the means to purchase the books whichhe longed to possess.
The duties of the keeper of the reading-room were to receive and takecharge of the papers and magazines, to keep the accounts, and to benominally responsible for the order of the room. I say nominally, asthe law relating to absolute silence was never actually enforced; and aslong as the members amused themselves in a reasonably quiet manner, andwithout turning the place into a bear-garden, they were allowed toconverse over their games of chess or draughts, and exchange theiropinions on the news of the day.
Lucas was, if one may say it, a little too conscientious in theexecution of his duties, and rather apt to be fussy and a trifleoverbearing in his manner. He posted copies of the rules on each of thefour walls of the room, and insisted on decorous behaviour and perfectsilence. The consequence was that he soon became the butt ofinnumerable jokes: fellows said they weren't in school, and meant toenjoy themselves.
"Rats" hit on the idea of carrying in an old newspaper under his coat.This he surreptitiously produced, and pretended to read as though itbelonged to the room. At a favourable moment, with an exclamation of,"Well, this is a rotten paper!" he suddenly crunched the sheet up in hishands and tore it into fifty pieces. Lucas, naturally imagining thatthe property of the room was being destroyed, rushed up exploding withwrath. An explanation followed, and the whole assembly went off intofits of merriment, at the latter's expense.
By the time this trick was worn out, other waggish gentlemen hadintroduced the practice of dropping wax matches on the floor andtreading on them, and of hunting an imaginary moth--an irresistiblyhumorous proceeding, in which the participators rushed about brandishingbooks and magazines, ever and anon crying, "There he is!" and smiting onthe head some quiet, unoffending reader. Some evil-minded youngmiscreant went so far as to put bits of india-rubber on the top of thestove, the consequence being that in a short time a mysterious smellarose of such a fearful and distressing nature that every one wasobliged to bolt out into the passage.
Those boys who at the time of the elections had formed the rank and fileof the Thurstonian party, saw here an opportunity for showing theirresentment of what they still chose to consider unfair conduct onAllingford's part. As a result, so they said, of the captain'sfavouritism, Lucas had been forced into a position for which he wasentirely un-fitted; and with the expressed determination "not to standhim at any price," they proved themselves ever ready to assist inkeeping up a constant repetition of the disturbances which have justbeen described.
These games, it need hardly be said, were not carried on when any of theprefects or members of the Sixth happened to be present; but during thehalf-hour between the end of tea and the commencement of preparation,when it rarely happened that any of the seniors put in an appearance,the conduct of the place went steadily from bad to worse. Lucas losthis head and lost his temper, and in doing so lost all control of hischarge; and at last things were brought to a climax in the manner we areabout to describe.
At the back of the room was one of those short desks which can bechanged at will into a seat, the top part falling over and making aback-rest, while the form remains stationary. In connection withthis article of furniture Gull one evening introduced a new pastime,which he called putting fellows in the stocks, and which consisted indecoying innocent small boys into taking a seat, then suddenly pushingthem backwards on to the floor, and imprisoning their feet between theform and the reversible desk--a position from which they only extricatedthemselves with considerable difficulty.
Lucas made a couple of attempts to interfere and stop the proceedings,and when at length, for the third time, a thud and a shout of laughterannounced that still another victim had fallen into the trap, he rose inwrath, and ordered Gull to leave the room.
"I shan't," returned the other. "Keep to yourself, and mind your ownbusiness."
"That's just what I'm doing; you know the rules as well as I do. It'smy business to keep order in this room."
"Rubbish! Who do you think cares for your rules, you jack-in-office?"
"Will you leave the room?"
"No, of course I won't. If you want to a
ct 'chucker-out,' you'd bettertry it on."
In desperation Lucas resolved to play his last card. "Look here, Gull,"he said, rising from his seat. "You know I'm not your match in size orstrength, or you wouldn't challenge me to fight; but this I will do:unless you leave the room, I shall go at once and report you to Dr.Denson."
The offender, seeing perhaps that this was no empty threat, evidentlyconsidered it the wiser plan not to risk an interview with thehead-master.
"Oh, keep your wig on!" he answered, with a scornful laugh. "Ishouldn't like to make you prove yourself a sneak as well as a coward.I'm going in a minute."
The assembly, who for the most part considered the stocks joke very goodfun, and were possessed with all the traditional schoolboy hatred foranything in the shape of telling tales, showed their disapproval with agood deal of booing and hissing as Gull sauntered out of the room, andLucas bent over his accounts with the despairing sense of having lostinstead of gained by the encounter.
It soon became evident that the matter was not to be allowed to dropwithout some show of feeling, for on the following morning theunfortunate official was greeted with jeers and uncomplimentary remarkswherever he went.
Just before tea Diggory and Jack Vance were crossing the quadrangle ontheir way from the gymnasium to the schoolroom, when they were accostedby Fletcher junior.
"I say," remarked the latter, in rather a knowing manner, "if you wantto see a lark, come to the reading-room before 'prep.'"
"Why, what's up?"
"Oh, never mind; don't tell any one I told you," and the speaker passedon.
"Shall we go?" said Diggory.
"We might as well," answered his companion, laughing. "I wonder whatthe joke is! Another moth-hunt, or some more of that 'stocks' business,I suppose."
When the two friends entered the reading-room, it presented an unusuallyquiet and orderly appearance. About twenty boys were seated at thevarious desks and tables, all occupied with games of chess or draughts,or in the perusal of magazines and papers. Even Grundy, who never readanything but an occasional novel, was poring over the advertisementcolumns of _The Daily News_, with apparently great interest, while youngFletcher was equally engrossed in the broad pages of _The Times_.An attempt to put "Rats" in the stocks utterly failed, from the factthat those who were usually foremost in acts of disorder refused torender any assistance, and even went so far as to nip the disturbance inthe bud with angry ejaculations of "Here, dry up!"--"Stop it, can'tyou?"
"I say," murmured Diggory, after sitting for a quarter of an hourlistlessly turning over the pages of a magazine, "Fletcher's sold usabout that lark; I don't see the use of staying here any longer."
Hardly had the words been uttered when some one in the passage outsidecrowed like a cock. There was a rustling of newspapers, and the nextinstant all four gas-jets were turned out simultaneously, and the roomwas plunged in total darkness. What followed it would be difficult todescribe. The door was flung open, there was an inrush of boys from thepassage, and the place became a perfect pandemonium. Tables wereoverturned, books and magazines went whizzing about in the darkness, agrand "scrum" seemed in progress round Lucas's desk, while amid thechorus of whoops, whistles, and cat-calls the latter's voice wasdistinctly audible, crying in angry tones,--
"Leave me alone, you blackguards; let go, I say!"
Jack and Diggory listened in amazement to the uproar with which theysuddenly found themselves surrounded, and not wishing to risk the chanceof having a form or a table upset on their toes, remained seated intheir corner, wondering how the affair would end.
At length, piercing the general uproar, came the distant _clang, clang_of the bell for preparation. The tumult suddenly subsided, and therewas a rush for the passage. Hardly had this stampede been accomplishedwhen some one struck a match and lit the gas-jet nearest the door: itwas Gull.
He stood for a moment looking round the room with a sardonic smile uponhis face, evidently very well pleased with the sight which met his gaze.The place certainly presented the appearance of a town which had beenbombarded, carried by storm, and pillaged for a week by some foreignfoe. Most of the furniture was upset or pulled out of place, magazinesand papers lay strewn about in every direction, ink was trickling inblack rivulets about the floor, and draughts and chess men seemed tohave been scattered broadcast all over the place. In addition to ourtwo friends, three other boys, who had evidently taken no active part inthe proceedings, still remained at some seats next to the wall; whileLucas, with hair dishevelled, waistcoat torn open, and collar flyingloose, stood flushed and panting amid the _debris_ of his overturneddesk.
"Well, I'm sure!" said Gull, with a short laugh; "you fellows seem tohave been having rather a bit of fun here this evening. I thought Iheard a row, and I was coming to see what it was; only just when I gotto the door, about fifty chaps bounced out and nearly knocked me down.--What have they been up to, eh, Lucas?"
"Never you mind," answered the unfortunate official, choking with rage;"the bell's gone, so all of you clear out."
"Well, you can't blame me this journey," retorted Gull, calmly strikinganother match and lighting the next gas-jet. "It seems to me this is alittle too much of a good thing. You'll have to lick a few of them,Lucas, my boy; and if you can't manage it yourself, you'd better getsome one else to do it for you--your friend Allingford, for instance."
The master on duty in the big schoolroom had to call several times forsilence before the subdued hum of muttered conversation entirely ceased.Every one had heard of the reading-room riot, and was anxious to discussthe matter with his companions.
"Who did it? who did it?" was the question asked on all sides.
"I don't know," would be the answer. "They say it wasn't the fellowswho were in the room--some of them put the gas out; but it was a lot ofother chaps, who rushed in after, who did all the damage and caused such'ructions.'"
"It seems to me," remarked Diggory to his two chums, "that it was aput-up job, all arranged beforehand."
"Then who d'you think planned it?" asked Mugford.
"I don't know, but I believe Gull had a hand in it."
"Oh, I don't think that," answered Jack Vance. "He came in and lit thegas; if he'd been in it, he'd have skedaddled with the rest."
"Um--would he?" returned Diggory, nodding his head in a sagaciousmanner; "I'm rather inclined to think he came in on purpose."
By the end of supper a fresh rumour spread which caused the affair toassume a still graver and more important aspect. Lucas had reported thewhole thing to the head-master, and the latter had expressed hisintention of inquiring into it on the following day. The truth of thesetidings was proved beyond all possibility of doubt when, next morning atbreakfast, an announcement was made that the school would assembleimmediately after the boys left the hall, instead of gathering, asusual, at nine o'clock.
Every one knew what this meant. The subject had been discussed forhours in most of the dormitories on the previous evening, and whenDr. Denson ascended his throne there was no necessity for him to strikethe small hand-bell--the usual signal for silence; an expectant hushpervaded the whole of the big room, showing clearly the interestwhich every one felt in the business on hand.
"I need hardly say," began the doctor, in his clear, decisive manner,"that my object in calling you together is to inquire into a disgracefulpiece of disorder which took place in the reading-room last night.I am astonished that such outrageous behaviour should be possible inwhat, up to the present time, I have always been proud to regard as acommunity of gentlemen. Such an offence against law and order cannot beallowed to pass unpunished. I feel certain that the greater number ofthose here present had no share in it, and I shall give the culprits achance of proving themselves at all events sufficiently honourable toprevent their schoolfellows suffering the consequences which have arisenfrom the folly of individuals. Let those boys who are responsible forwhat occurred last evening stand up!"
With one exception nobody stirred; a s
olitary small boy rose to hisfeet, and in spite of the gravity of the situation a subdued titter ranthrough the assembly. Apparently the whole of the row and disturbanceof the previous evening was the handiwork of one single boy, and thatboy the youthful "Rats."
"Well, Rathson," said the head-master grimly, "am I to understand thatyou single-handed overturned forms and tables, scattered books andpapers to the four winds, and nearly tore the clothes off anotherboy's back?"
"N--no, sir," answered "Rats" plaintively.
"Then will you explain exactly what you did do?"
"I was reading--and the gas went out--and some one emptied a box ofchess-men over my head--and I--I hit him--and then there was a lot ofpushing, and I pushed, and--" concluded "Rats" apologetically--"and I think I shouted."
"H'm!" said the doctor; "so that's all you did. Sit down, sir.--Lucas!"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you remember what boys were in the reading-room last night?"
"Yes, sir, but I don't think they were responsible for what happened; itwas done by others who came in from outside."
There was a silence.
"I ask once more," said the head-master, "what boys took part in thisdisturbance? let them stand up!"
Once more young "Rats" alone pleaded guilty.
"Very well, then," continued the doctor sternly; "the whole school willbe punished: there will be no half-holiday on Wednesday afternoon, andthe reading-room will be closed for a fortnight.--Sit down, Rathson; youare the only boy among the many who must have been connected with thisaffair--the only one, I say, who has any sense of manliness or honour.Write me a hundred lines, and bring them to me to-morrow morning."
The prospect of having to work on Wednesday afternoon caused, the boysthemselves to take up the doctor's inquiry, and the query, "Who did it?"became the burning question of the hour.
The riot had evidently been carefully planned beforehand, and the plotarranged in such a manner that those who took part in it might do sowithout being recognized.
It was impossible to discover who really were the culprits, though themajority of the boys put it down as having been done by "some of'Thirsty's' lot," and as being a further proof of the latter'swell-known animosity towards Allingford, who had, of course, appointedLucas as keeper of the room.
"Look here!" said Diggory, accosting Fletcher Two in the playground:"what made you tell us to come to the reading-room last night? How didyou know there was going to be a row?"
"I didn't," murmured the other warily. "All I knew was that they weregoing to put 'Rats' in the 'stocks;' I hadn't the faintest idea therewas going to be such a fine old rumpus."
"Umph! hadn't you?" muttered Diggory, turning on his heel; "I knowbetter."
