At the breaking up of preparation that evening there was considerable excitement among the groups scuffling to get a glimpse of the notice board in the big schoolroom, in the brief time allowed between prep, and prayers, and the attraction was a brand-new notice which ran thus:-- "Haviland--prefect. "Suspended from his office and confined to the school grounds for the remainder of the term for gross breach of rules and general misconduct. "Nicholas Bowen, D.D., Headmaster." "It was a pretty stiff account to have to settle, all because a fellow's watch happened to stop," Haviland had remarked to Laughton and some others when giving an account as to how he had fared. "Suspended, gated for the rest of the term, and four hundred lines to do for Williams into the bargain." The latter, however, was not to be added to his already burdened shoulders, for at dormitory time, when he went to report to Mr Williams that he was no longer a prefect, the latter said:-- "I'm sorry to hear that, Haviland. But now you must just lie quiet a bit and keep out of mischief. The Doctor's sure to reinstate you. Oh, and look here. You needn't do those lines I set you this afternoon. It doesn't seem fair that a fellow should have two punishments for the same offence." "The Doctor doesn't seem to think so, sir," he could not restrain himself from saying. "But thank you very much, sir. Reinstate me? No. The Doctor has a regular spite against me--why I can't think." "Oh, nonsense, Haviland," said the master very kindly. "At any rate you must try not to think so. Good night." But while uttering this protest officially, Mr Williams did so half-heartedly, for in his own mind he thought the young fellow had been very severely treated indeed, and that the punishment was out of all proportion to the offence. CHAPTER TEN. BROODING. Haviland, fallen from his high estate, did not take his misfortunes well. He was of a proud and sensitive temperament, and now that he found himself humiliated, reduced to the level of the rank and file, deprived of the very material privileges he had formerly enjoyed, shorn of his powers, and now in a position to obey where for so long he had been accustomed to command--yes, the humiliation was intolerable, and for no greater crime than that his watch had unfortunately stopped. A mere accident. Not that his former colleagues were in the least likely to add to his humiliation by word or act of theirs. _Esprit de corps_ was strong among them, very largely fostered indeed by his own influence while in a position to exert it. Even the two or three among them who disliked him would have shrunk from such an act, as being one of unspeakable meanness. And his fall was great. In seniority he had stood next to Laughton, the captain of the school, and were he eventually reinstated, he would lose this, and have to start again at the bottom of the list.