King of Ranleigh: A School Story

by F. S. Brereton

  CHAPTER IX

  HONESTY'S THE BEST POLICY

  The short run from the spot where the poor fellow driving the rival carin which Rawlings and Trendall had been passengers had met with hisdeath was anything but a pleasant experience for Clive and his comrades.In the first place, Higgins, hitherto reckless as to his driving, nowwent at a snail's pace, as if he were in a funeral procession. And thenthere were two additional passengers in the car. The boys eyed oneanother in silence. Susanne, as if to break the spell, and careless now,as ever, of the lost authority of Rawlings, fixed his monocle upon thatworthy reflectively.

  "Best 'op as soon as we gets to the common," suddenly cried Higgins overhis shoulder. They heard the brake grind. The car came to a standstill.Then the rascally driver turned upon them, thrust his cap to the back ofhis head and invited all to listen.

  "See 'ere, young gents," he began. "Just at this point you gets off and'ops it up to the school."

  "Yes." Susanne answered him in a mono-syllable, though his brows werefurrowed and his eyes scowling. Rawlings slid from the car, and Trendalllikewise. Then the others followed, till they were gathered around thebonnet.

  "Well?" demanded Susanne curtly.

  "And jest at this 'ere point I goes right off to the village. See?"

  "No," declared Susanne and Clive together, obstinately determined togive the fellow no encouragement, for they guessed at what was coming.

  "There isn't anything to see," said Bert coldly. "The thing's plain.You're here at this spot. We divide. You go off to the village and theregive information to the police."

  "That's just where you're off it," cried Higgins at once, savagely, "anddon't you get a layin' down the law to me, Mr. Seymour. I 'ops it to thevillage, and I says nothing. I leaves it to the police to find outwhat's happened. I didn't cause that accident. It was the steering gearthat broke and upset the car. So it's no fault of mine. You ain't fools,you young gents?"

  "No," declared Rawlings eagerly, for he was listening.

  "Certainly not," ventured Trendall.

  "Depends," said Susanne. "Go on."

  "And no one knows as Mister Rawlings and Mr. Trendall were on that car.Yer see, it's only them as you've got to think of. It ain't known asthey was there. My car don't come into the question. So I says, just'ere we 'ops it and says nothing."

  "Quite so. Hear, hear!" cried Rawlings, plucking up a vestige ofcourage.

  "And supposing we're asked," demanded Masters, looking Rawlings coollyup and down till that immaculate young fellow felt intenselyuncomfortable. "Eh?"

  "We know nothing," said Rawlings and Higgins together.

  "Nothing whatever," declared the latter with emphasis. "Not a word. Wewasn't out on the car. We wasn't at the meeting. We don't know nuffin'about the death of that poor cove."

  "And why should we?" chimed in Trendall. "We're not responsible. Itisn't as if he had been murdered. The car overturned, and Rawlings and Iwere jolly lucky. The police won't need any explanation. There! Thatsatisfies you, eh?"

  Clive Darrell went a dull red as he listened to this conversation. Hehad forgotten for the moment the fact that Old B. had seen the car atthe meeting, and that he alone could put the police on the right trackif information were needed. To Clive it did not seem that there was anyother action than a straight one. For supposing some other driver of amotor-car were accused of having caused this fatal accident? It wasquite possible. Then the position would be dreadful. And in any case,though he was ready for a lark at any time, and would doubtless breakbounds on many another occasion, still he wasn't going to lie to savehis own skin or that of Higgins, Trendall, or Rawlings.

  "Come on, Susanne," he said coldly, tucking his arm within his friend's.

  "Good day, Higgins."

  "Good day," repeated Masters, linking his arm in Clive's.

  "Er, good evening," cried Bert and Hugh together.

  "'Ere! Stop!" shouted Higgins, his face aflame with passion.

  "Well?" asked Susanne placidly; for he had the most even of tempers.

  "Do I understand as you four's a goin' ter give us three way?" demandedthe ruffianly Higgins, squaring up to them in threatening manner, whilethe Old Firm stood arm in arm watching him closely. "Eh?"

  "You have managed to gather something of our meaning, at any rate,"replied Susanne, without raising his voice in the slightest.

  "Then you're going to give information yourselves?" asked Rawlings, twospots of red colour in his otherwise pallid cheeks, his eyes blazing.

  "In other words, you're going to act like a parcel of fools and sneaks,"shouted Trendall, his temper aroused like that of Higgins'.

  "One moment?" asked Susanne coolly. "You really take the words out of mymouth. Our action will be decided after discussion. If the police wantinformation, as seems certain, we shall volunteer it. I am not quitesure that we shall not at once report the circumstances. In any case, wedo not intend to lie. As for you, Rawlings and Trendall--you must do asyou like. Your movements and your actions have no interest for me andthese other fellows."

  "You mean, then, that if you're asked who were in that other car youwon't say?" demanded Rawlings eagerly, breathlessly in fact.

  "Certainly, that is, if the request comes from the school authorities.If from the police it is a different matter. Now you know. Lie as muchas you care to yourself. This firm don't go in for dirty behaviour ofthat sort."

  The great and placid Susanne carefully focussed his monocle upon thefigure of the prefect, regarded him, from the sole of his dusty boots tothe crown of his somewhat damaged bowler, with something akin to scorn,and then set out for the school with his comrades. They left the triobehind them in earnest conversation, a conversation which, before it wasended, became somewhat heated. Nor did it bode much good to Clive andhis comrades. It may be said, indeed, that all Rawlings' vindictivenesswas centred upon the young fellow who lived so close to him at home. Butin the case of Trendall we are bound to confess that the condition ofhis mind was essentially wavering. To commence with, at heart he was abetter and a more generous-minded fellow than Rawlings. And then, try ashe might, he could not forget his indebtedness to Susanne. Rawlings hadchided him for it. He had argued against that feeling as unnatural.

  "Feel as if you ought to be grateful!" he had scoffed now on many anoccasion, for he was ever fearful of losing the alliance. Rawlings had,indeed, felt the coldness of his fellows for many a day after thatepisode on the ice. Fellows who had been quite content to know himbefore, to be even jovial with him, though never actually friendly, werenow always busy when he happened to accost them, and hurried off. Orthey turned cold looks upon him, which sent him off with his tailbetween his legs and his lips muttering. Trendall might do the same.Susanne and his friends had helped to save his life. Trendall had eventhanked them, though lamely it must be admitted.

  "Call that saving your life! Rot!" Rawlings had told him. "Whatfollowed? For a week and more the chaps were never tired of hooting you.They told you that you had acted like a muff. That you had nearlydrowned the whole party. And now you speak of gratitude, and to fellowssuch as they are."

  It was always the memory of the uncomfortable and indisputable fact thatRanleighans had jeered at him that turned all Trendall's betterintentions and feelings to gall and wormwood. Hyper-sensitive where hisown dignity was concerned, and having for a long while had perforce toput up with a great deal of chaff, he had found, up to that affair ofthe ice, that friendship with Rawlings improved his position. There aresnobs in every school, we suppose. Rawlings was decidedly one. Trendallwas, perhaps, another. In any case, alliance with Rawlings had broughthim comfort and affluence, for his friend was blessed with even moremoney than was the case with Susanne. And chaff had ceased, for Rawlingswas free with his hands and feet. But that ice episode had set fellowsjeering. Trendall forgot a natural gratitude to Susanne and his friendsin the bitterness of the ridicule poured on him, and this, fanned byRawlings, made him almost as great an enemy as was that immaculate butdetestable
young fellow.

  "So we sticks together, eh?" asked Higgins, as the trio were about toseparate. "If them young sneaks says as you was in that car, I says youwasn't. If I'm axed who was there, why, I don't know."

  A ponderous wink and an ugly leer accompanied this statement.

  "But I knows who was along with me, oh, yes, I knows all about that. Iwas going to Guildford shopping, yes, and these here youngsters sees meand asks for a ride. I gives it to 'em. Yes. That's right. And theirnames is Feofe, Masters, Darrell and two Seymours. You're clear, Mr.Rawlings. Thank ye, sir. Sovereigns is useful every time. You say asthere'll be another by the end of the week?"

  "When my allowance comes; but on conditions."

  "In course. Conditions that I gives them young sneaks away and knowsnothing about you."

  The conspiracy thus hatched boded ill for Clive and his fellows, forwhen one began to analyse the circumstances of the case, it would betheir word against that of Higgins. Whereas he stated that they hadhailed him on the road, their statement would be that he had taken themby arrangement. If they said in addition that Rawlings and Trendall werein the second car, Higgins would strenuously deny the statement, andthere again there would be conflict of testimony, which would be uselessto convict either of the two. Gold had, in fact, won over the rascallyHiggins, just as it may win over any similar scoundrel. Rawlings feltthat his money had been well expended, and he followed Clive and hisfriends to the school in a distinctly calmer frame of mind. The troublewhich had been staring him in the face was gone. He was chuckling at thefix into which Susanne and his band would certainly tumble.

  "We've just to sit tight and keep our mouths shut, Trendall," he said."Of course, we shall have to appear indignant at the charge, and--ah,that's lucky, we shall want an alibi."

  "Eh? How much? What's an alibi?"

  "Duffer! Someone to prove that we were elsewhere."

  "Higgins then."

  "Idiot!" Rawlings rounded on him angrily. "How can he prove that when hewas off at the flying meeting? What about Tunstall?"

  Tunstall was another of the same kidney as Higgins. Ranleigh was, infact, at this period, somewhat unlucky in this particular, for Tunstallwas one of those oily wretches ever on the look out for favours fromanyone. In a smaller way than Higgins he had more than once procuredcontraband articles for Ranleighans, and was ready at any time to do aservice. Better, too, for Rawlings' purpose, he occupied a shop somewhatisolated and away from the village. A prefect had the right to go there.Doubtless the fact of his taking a friend would be overlooked.

  "He's the very man," agreed Trendall. "But--look here, Rawlings, I don'tlike all this business. Supposing it were found out?"

  He never thought of the dishonesty of it all. Like his friend, he fearedonly the consequences of discovery.

  "Rot! Of course the thing'll pass. Don't be an ass," growled Rawlings."Let's sprint off at once. We've time to see him now and still be in forcall-over."

  Everything seemed to be working in their favour, for the wily Tunstallwas at home, and tumbled to their meaning instantly. He was ashock-headed, unkempt individual, with a crooked back and a chin whichseemed to have settled down on his chest from infancy. A stragglingbeard depended from the same chin, while long, untidy eyebrowsovershadowed a pair of cunning orbs.

  "Say as you was here the whole afternoon, a drinkin' corfee and sichlike; of course, Mr. Rawlings," he leered, "but--well, yer see, bein'only a poor man, with this here shop to depend on, I can't afford togive nuffin away, don't yer see, nuffin, not even a promise."

  "But we'll make that all right," came the instant and eager response."Look here, Tunstall, what's it worth?"

  The wily one screwed his eyes up till his long brows mingled almost withhis unkempt beard. "What's it worth? Well, see here, supposin' I don'tstick to the tale. Supposin'----But you ain't yet told me why you'veaxed for this here alibi. Is it a robbery?"

  "A robbery!" shouted Trendall angrily, his fat cheeks wabbling andflushing red. "What do you take us for?"

  Tunstall might easily have replied that he took them for what theyshowed themselves to be. But he had his own terms to make, and cautionwas necessary.

  "No offence, gents," he said silkily. "No offence, I'm sure. I wasn'tthinkin' that, of course. But what's the reason for wantin' this herealibi? You've got into some sort o' mess, I suppose. What mess, then? Ihas to ask, 'cos I has to protect myself, and besides, though I may onlykeep a small shop, I've got me own feelin's, and me own pride."

  The task was not so easy a one as Rawlings imagined. Or, to be precise,that young gentleman was not half as clever as he thought himself. Hadhe been so he would have seen through the artifices of this rascal atonce, and would not have shown concern at his lack of keenness toundertake the work asked of him.

  "I'll--I'll make it worth your while, Tunstall," he said desperately."As to the cause, why, we've been to Guildford. There was an accident onthe way back. The steering gear of the car went wrong and we were turnedover. That man Ranger, who was driving, was killed. Now, the police willfind him and the car on the road. It's plain he was killed by accident,and there's not the smallest need for our names to appear. All we coulddo would be to corroborate the story of the accident. But we don't wantto do that, for we'd been breaking bounds. Now, a sovereign if you helpus."

  Tunstall held out a grimy palm.

  "Put it there, sir," he leered. "I'll swear as you was here all day adrinkin' corfee and----"

  "Not all day," Trendall corrected him. "We came just before twelve andleft at three. That makes it impossible for us to have been atGuildford."

  "Then you come here at twelve and left at three. You was drinkin' corfeeand jawin' and what not. Put it there, Mr. Rawlings."

  "I can't now, but at the end of the week," came the lame answer. "I'vegiven my last sovereign to-day. But I'll easily get more, and----"

  "Oh, ho!" cried Tunstall, looking cunningly at them. "You ain't got thestuff on you, but you've got promises. Well, any man is rich with them.Gold's gold, Mr. Rawlings, and without it a man can't speak, nor takerisks, which is a deal more, I can tell ye."

  "But--what do you mean?" asked Rawlings desperately, afraid to lose histemper and abuse the man. "My word is good enough, surely? If I say Iwill pay you a pound, that money is as good as paid."

  "In course. In course, sir. But gold's gold, as I've said. Promisesain't worth half, or even that. I could ha' done this here job fortwenty shillings, but for a promise of twenty, no. It ain't possible."

  "Then how much?" asked Trendall, his fat cheeks shaking withapprehension, for he could now see the importance of possessing analibi. "How much for the job?"

  "Five quid. Not a penny less," came the leering rejoinder.

  The mention of such a sum caused the two Ranleighans to stare hard atone another. Rawlings' brow was deeply furrowed, his eyes had a far-awaylook. Trendall watched him anxiously. For his part five pounds was outof the question. Masters could have raised such a sum almost as easily,and that was saying a lot, for Masters was for ever grumbling at thesmallness of his allowance, and the meanness of his people. But Rawlingshad a wealthy father, one, too, who boasted of the expense caused by anexpensive son. He liked to feel that his offspring was cutting a dash,and for that purpose gave him ample funds. Still, even he might kick iftoo great a demand were made.

  "Got it!" cried Rawlings, snapping his fingers with delight. "Fivepounds, you said, Tunstall?"

  "That's the figure. It couldn't be done at a halfpenny less."

  "There's that parting present we're giving to Tarton, the 'Stinks'master," suggested Rawlings. "They're asking for subscriptions to thefund, and----"

  "You could get it for that, eh?" demanded Trendall eagerly.

  "Easily. Tell the Governor I want to do the thing well. He'll never beany the wiser, and'll never ask questions. Very well, Tunstall, it's abig price, but I'll pay it. Five pounds for the job, half as soon as mynext allowance arrives, the rest before the term's ended."

 
The wretch looked at him artfully, his eyes screwed up to narrow slitsagain.

  "You promise?"

  "Certainly."

  "On yer--on yer honour?"

  "What next! Of course!" growled Trendall. "As if we were likely to breakour word."

  "I dunno. I dunno," muttered Tunstall, but so that they could hear."Honour's a great word with you gents, and me and the likes of me don'tunderstand it. But I should ha' thought that young chaps as wanted a jobo' this sort done hadn't--well, five pound then, half within a week, therest as you say."

  A flash of indignant anger in Rawlings' eye, and a sudden heightening ofTrendall's colour, had warned him to refrain from further speaking. Henodded to them both and showed them out obsequiously. As for the two whowere to pay him for this job, they slunk away from the shop as if theywere afraid of their own shadows. That last unmeant thrust on the partof Tunstall had gone home with a vengeance.

  "The cheek of the brute," growled Rawlings. "What'd he mean abouthonour? What business is it of his, anyway? Eh?"

  But in their heart of hearts they knew that the thrust was deserved.What honour could they have, indeed, when they were parties to suchdouble dealing? However, a sharp run up to the school made them forgetthe incident. They were in good time for call-over, and went in to teaas if nothing unusual had happened. By the following morning they hadpersuaded themselves that their fears had been needlessly aroused, andthat their precautions were unnecessary.

  "Wish I hadn't been quite so free with that fellow Higgins," Rawlingswhispered to Trendall as they went into Chapel. "The chances are thepolice have found the car and the man, and have decided that it was aneasily explained accident. There was the broken steering gear to tellthem its cause, and nothing to show that there was another car there oranyone else in the wrecked car, for that matter. I'm sorry about thatsov. As to Tunstall, of course, if he don't have to swear an alibi, why,he won't get his money."

  But breakfast brought a decided change to the situation. The meal wasended, "knock up" had sounded, this latter being a sharp rap given onthe table occupied by the masters up on the dais. It called for silence,while Harvey made the round of the hall, inspecting table linen. Thenfollowed grace as a rule, and immediately after the boys filed out ofthe Hall in regular order. Now, of a sudden, a familiar figure bouncedon to the dais. It was the Headmaster. Dead silence followed, silence inwhich Rawlings could hear his heart thumping. It palpitated a momentlater when the Head began to speak. He stood in the middle of the dais,his head thrown back, his eyes apparently closed, a smile on his facewhich might have deceived the unwary. But Ranleighans knew thatsomething unpleasant was coming. The acidity of his tones even more thanthe words told them of his great displeasure.

  "There was an accident on the road from Guildford yesterday," he said."A man was killed. Certain Ranleigh boys were there. They will stepforward."

  Clive felt as if his legs would not support him. It was all very well tohave formed resolutions, but acting up to them was an altogetherdifferent matter. He quaked. The severe tones of the Head, his austeremanner, his obvious displeasure alarmed him. Clive hesitated. He lookedacross at Susanne, and saw that young fellow actually grinning. And thenhe took heart. He clambered over the long form between which and thetable he was standing, and marched toward the dais. Susanne was alreadyin motion. Masters followed close behind him, wearing a woebegoneexpression, while Bert and Hugh brought up the rear, their faces flushedwith excitement.

  "Ah! Five of you. You were present at this accident?"

  "Yes, sir," came from Susanne, a wonderful ally on such a sternoccasion.

  "Yes, sir," repeated the others.

  "And you declare that the cause of this man's death was due purely toaccident?"

  "Certainly," from Susanne.

  "Decidedly," from Masters.

  "Yes, sir," from Clive and the others.

  "There were others present in the car in which you were riding? Darrell,answer the question."

  "The driver only, sir," Clive managed to blurt out.

  "Ah! His name, Feofe?"

  "Higgins, sir."

  "But that is not the name of the man who was killed. Explain!" demandedthe Head severely, opening his eyes to thrust a glance at the culprits.

  "No, sir. We were in another car. The accident occurred after we hadpassed," Bert took upon himself to explain.

  "Ah! That is clear enough. There were two cars. You boys had brokenbounds and had been to the meeting at Guildford on the one driven byHiggins. What boys were in the other?"

  No answer. Susanne was gazing over the head of the chief of Ranleigh atthe glazed windows beyond. Clive looked decidedly frightened. Mastersappeared not to have heard the question. For Bert and Hugh, their faceswere impassive.

  "I will put the question differently. There were Ranleigh boys in theother car, were there not?" demanded the Head curtly. "Masters,answer."

  "Yes, sir."

  Down in the body of the hall Rawlings and Trendall began to tremble. Thecritical moment was arriving. They must stand to their guns, and whenthose sneaks on the dais had mentioned their names, they must declaretheir innocence. It would be perfectly all right. They had that alibi.Higgins would also declare in their favour.

  "And you recognised them? Feofe, answer."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Then their names, if you please. Seymour Primus, you will give them."

  A stony silence followed. You could have heard a pin dropping. Boys inthe body of the Hall hardly dared to breathe, while Rawlings and hiscrony found the strain almost intolerable.

  "Then, Feofe? Those names."

  Silence once more. Not a syllable from the Frenchman.

  "Then, Darrell? Seymour Secundus?"

  The Head swung round and beckoned to someone outside the door throughwhich he had entered, one admitting directly on to the dais. There was atrying interval during which not a foot was stirred. Never had Ranleighschool remained assembled in such a deathly silence. Even Old B.,standing so close to the Head, seemed to feel it. His face was flushed adull red. His eyes were blinking. The fair giant looked decidedlyuncomfortable. And then the tension was relieved. Carfort, the schoolbutler, appeared with a cane of vast proportions beneath his arm, andhanded it to the Head.

  "Now we will proceed," said that worthy, regarding the culprits and thewhole school icily. "You boys know what to expect if you refuse toanswer. I ask you once again for the names of the two Ranleigh boys whowere in that other car. They should have come forward at the first. Theyhave failed to do so. Give me their names."

  Silence. Nothing but stony silence. Susanne looked as if he werewhistling. Clive's head was held high and haughtily. Masters wore thesort of look he usually had when receiving another dose of "impots." Andthen the school was electrified by another demand.

  "Rawlings and Trendall, stand forward," cried the Head. "You others goto your places. Dismiss the school, please, Mr. Perkins. Rawlings andTrendall, who were in that other car, who witnessed the accident I havereferred to, and who disgracefully failed to come forward, those twowill go at once to my room. There they will be dealt with."

  The school gasped. Clive felt as if a ton weight had of a sudden beenshifted from his shoulders. He watched the forlorn figures of Rawlingsand Trendall shambling after the Headmaster.