All the while the precious minutes were passing. Soon the whole school would be gathered outside the Head’s window and he, who had really conceived as great an admiration for Rouse as any other boy in the school, would not be there. Others would notice his absence and comment upon it; there would be a general and a perfectly just vote that he be kicked. It was worse than awful. It was pitiful. Quite unexpectedly Henry came down the passage, stopped at Coles’ study and reached for the doorknob. Bobbie sprang forward in one excited leap. “Stop! Hey! Where are you going?” Henry’s attitude was admirable. His hand never reached the door. In point of fact it was never intended to. His arm fell stiffly to his side. Then he looked for a spot suitable for quiet conversation away from the door. It was important that if Coles were in that study he should not know that he, Henry Hope, was outside. At last he took Bobbie by the arm and moved down the passage in the manner of a novice on roller skates, until they were safely out of earshot, when he stopped and placed his hands upon his hips. “You may not know it,” he began, “but I have been three times to the corner of this passage, only to find you each time propping up the wall.” Bobbie gazed at him dully and could offer no reasonable reply. “Say,” demanded Henry, “what’s Coles ... doing ... in that room?” “How do you know Coles is in there?” Henry snapped his finger. “It’s all right,” he said. “I’ll tell you how things are. I believe Coles is up against Rouse. I believe he thinks he’s got a chance of being captain himself. That’s what everybody’s saying, anyway. Now Rouse asked for you as his fag and it seems you’ve told Morley that you’d rather stay with Coles. And what I want to know is, why?” Bobbie was silent. “There’s only one thing to it. Somehow or other Coles has got a strangle-hold on you.... There’s a mystery in this. Coles told Rouse that he knew your family and for that reason he particularly wanted you as _his fag_. I know Coles is sick with Rouse; of course, he’s blind jealous. He’s sick that he wasn’t asked to form one of the deputation to-night too.... But there’s more in it than that. Somehow Coles has got you in his grip. I’m going to find out why, and the only way to do that is to get a hold on Coles. So—what’s Coles doing in that study?” “How do you know he’s in there?” demanded Bobbie. Henry made a gesture of extreme pride. “Most of this I’ve told you I know because Rouse knows—and Rouse told _me_, and, by Gemini! he told the right man. But how did I know Coles was in _there_? Well, it’s as plain to me as if it were written up on a placard outside the door. Coles is nowhere in the school, and you’ve stuck here for the last hour. To prove it I came up as though I were going into the room and you wouldn’t let me ... and I say ... does this mean he’s not going to help in the hullabaloo at all?” “I don’t know,” said Bobbie wretchedly.