“You will now,” he said, “each of you, go to the house and the study of the boy whose place you now occupy, and bring me all the cribs you find there. I have told Maddox to go round after you. I sincerely hope—sincerely—that he will find nothing to do. If he does the consequences will be quite serious. I shall come back here in exactly twenty minutes, and shall expect to find the books ready, piled here. Maddox will go his rounds after you have finished and report to me. You all of you share studies with other boys and you will understand that all cribs found therein will be brought here, whether belonging to members of this form or not. Now you had the opportunity of consulting each other before, and you must not consult now. If any of you don’t know the house to which the owner of your present desk belongs, ask.” The Head got up, rustled down the room, and went out looking neither to right nor left. A perfectly silent form dispersed. They were back again in their places before he reappeared. In front of his desk was a solid pile of books. He did not even glance at them. “We will now do our Thucydides,” he said. “Who is the top boy of the form? You, Blaize. What chapter of what book are you at?” “Book three, sir,” said David. “Chapter fourteen.” “Read the Greek then, aloud, till I stop you, and then construe.” A rather trying half-hour followed. The form generally was addled with emotion, and it was almost a relief when Maddox appeared from his search. He had no fresh and incriminating volumes with him, but he might have left them outside. “Well?” said the Head. “No, sir,” said he, “I couldn’t find any more.” And his eye fell almost respectfully on the appalling pile already found. “Thanks,” said the Head. “I am glad. Please take the lesson to-morrow morning.” He instantly resumed Thucydides. “Gregson, read and translate,” he said. Poor Plugs! . . . At the end the Head got up. “There is no need to speak to you further,” he said, “because I think you all understand. I may say, however, that any boy found using a crib in the future will be flogged and degraded into the fourth form. You will find it unwise to try. At least I think so.” He gathered up his gown, and for the first time, apparently, saw the heap of books piled in front of his desk. “The lowest six boys of the form will bring those silly volumes across to my house,” he said. “The head boy will count them here, and then come across when they are all removed and count them again to see that the numbers tally. You understand, Blaize?” “Yes, sir,” said David. “And I am ashamed of you all,” said the Head. CHAPTER X