“It’s all right, Bert. I paid him twenty dollars and he’s gone home quite satisfied. In fact, he said I――that is, you needn’t hurry with the rest of it, and that if you want any more togs all you’ve got to do is let him know.” “But where did you ever get twenty dollars?” gasped Bert. Hugh laughed. “Borrowed it, of course. I had six myself, Cathcart loaned me five, and Mr. Crump nine.” “Mr. Crump! _Mr. Crump?_ Are you crazy?” “No, only exhausted.” “But you don’t mean Mr. Crump, the janitor?” “Yes I do, old chap. I fancy it was rather a funny thing to do, but, you see, I didn’t know who else to ask. Everyone was out and Mr. Pounder turned me down and I happened to run into Mr. Crump in School Hall. He was very decent about it. I offered to let him have my watch and fob for security but he said his grandfather or grandmother or someone fought with General Putnam, and wouldn’t take it. I didn’t quite see what that had to do with it, though, do you?” “Old Crump!” marveled Bert. “I didn’t suppose he had nine dollars to his name!” “Oh, yes. And he rather hinted that he had a lot more. I dare say janiting is quite――quite profitable.” “And Cathcart loaned you five? I sort of wish you hadn’t gone to him, Hugh.” “There wasn’t much choice,” replied Hugh drily. “I dare say if you’d been there you’d have managed better, but――――” “I didn’t mean that,” said Bert quickly. “I think you did finely, and I’m awfully much obliged, Hugh. I only meant that――well, Wal and I aren’t awfully good friends and――did you tell him what it was for?” “No, there wasn’t time. I told him I’d explain later.” “Well, don’t if you can help it. You see, he’s a proctor and if he heard I’d been running bills he might think he had to report me. He’s most frightfully conscientious nowadays.” “I hadn’t thought of that,” said Hugh, “but I don’t believe he would. I’ll keep you out of it, though, if you’d rather.” “What did Fallow say? Was he ugly?” Whereupon, while the first and second teams battered each other up and down the field, Hugh recounted the whole adventure for his friend’s benefit, and Bert, alternately amused and alarmed, listened with flattering attention. At the end he said, after a long breath of relief: “Hugh, you’re a corker! And a wonder! I couldn’t have got away with it like that to save my life! And I’m awfully much obliged, old man. I――I hope I’ll be able to do as much for you some time.” “It wasn’t anything,” returned Hugh. “In fact, it was rather good fun; or it would have been if I hadn’t known all the time that I was getting in wrong with Mr. Crowley. Mr. Fallow was quite amusing. I say, Bert, _have_ you seen his mustache? It――it’s perfectly weird. I was so fascinated by it that I just had to stand there and stare!”