So I read it every word, the long lesson, and all. Nanny came in before it was finished, medicine in hand, and sat down in silence with her bonnet on. She had been kept at the doctor's. Mrs. Cann was the next to make her appearance, having been abroad on some business of her own: and I got away when it was close upon midnight. "Your name and college, sir." "Ludlow. Christchurch." It was the proctor. He had pounced full upon me as I was racing home. And the clocks were striking twelve! "Ludlow--Christchurch," he repeated, nodding his head. "I am sorry to be out so late, sir, against rules, but I could not help it. I have been sitting with a sick man." "Very good," said he blandly; "you can tell that to-morrow to the dean. Home to your quarters now, if you please, Mr. Ludlow." And I knew he believed me just as much as he would had I told him I'd been up in a balloon. "You are a nice lot, Master Johnny!" The salutation was Tod's. He and Bill Whitney were sitting over the fire in our room. "I couldn't help being late." "Of course not! As to late--it's only midnight. Next time you'll come in with the milk." "Don't jest. I've been with that poor Charley, and I think he's dying. The worst of it is, the proctor has just dropped upon me." "No!" It sobered them both, and they put aside their mockery. Bill, who had the tongs in his hand, let them go down with a crash. "It's a thousand pities, Johnny. Not one of us has been before the dean yet." "I can only tell the dean the truth." "As if he'd believe you! By Jupiter! Once get one of our names up, and those proctors will track every step of the ground we tread on. They watch a marked man as a starving cat watches a mouse." With the morning came in the requisition for me to attend before the dean. When I got there, who should be stealing out of the room quite sheepishly, his face down and his ears red, but Gaiton. "Is it your turn, Ludlow!" he cried, closing the room-door as softly as though the dean had been asleep inside. "What have you been had up for, Gaiton?" "Oh, nothing. I got knocking about a bit last night, for Mrs. Everty did not receive, and came across that confounded proctor." "Is the dean in a hard humour?" "Hard enough, and be hanged to him! It's not the dean: he's ill, or something; perhaps been making a night of it himself: and Applerigg's on duty for him. Dry old scarecrow! For two pins, Ludlow, I'd take my name off the books, and be free of the lot." Dr. Applerigg had the reputation of being one of the strictest of college dons. He was like a maypole, just as tall and thin, with a long, sallow face, and enough learning to set up the reputations of three archbishops for life. The doctor was marching up and down the room in his college-cap, and turned his spectacles on me. "Shut the door, sir." While I did as I was bid, he sat down at an open desk near the fire and looked at a paper that had some writing on it.