He had plenty to think of besides lessons. Things had all gone wrong with him. Dangle and he had fought. Brinkman, after his thrashing by Corder, no longer counted. Fullerton had rebelled, and was taking boys over every day to the enemy. Corder had successfully defied his-- Clapperton's--authority, and the juniors snapped their fingers at him. And yet Clapperton had come up this term determined to lay himself out for his side, and be the most popular prefect in Fellsgarth! His one comfort was that the Classics were under a cloud too. One of their number was a runaway thief; and a stigma rested on their side worse than any that attached to the Moderns. He was trying to make the most of this questionable consolation when the door opened, and Percy bounced in. "I say, Clapperton; Fisher's found the money. Rollitt's not a thief. Ain't you glad? Hurray!" And, without waiting, he retired as suddenly as he had come. Clapperton gaped at the door by which he had gone in amazement. He had never calculated on this. This was the worst thing yet. It showed Yorke had been right, and that he and Dangle-- The door opened again, and Cottle ran in. "Hurray, Clapperton! The money's found. Rollitt's no thief. Ain't you glad?" And he, too, vanished. There must be something in it. What a fool he would look to all Fellsgarth! Perhaps it was only a plot, though, to shield Rollitt. Perhaps-- The door once more swung open, and in jumped Cash. "Clapperton, I say--Hooray! That money's been found. Rollitt's no thief. Ain't you glad?" Hullo! At this rate he would get to know the news. How they would crow on the other side! He wondered if Fisher major had done it on purp-- Again there was a scuffle of feet at the door, and Lickford stepped in. "Oh! Clapperton," he said. "Hooray, Clapperton! The money's turned up, and Rollitt's no thief. Ain't you glad?--and, oh, I say, Clapperton--hooray!" "Come here," said Clapperton, sternly. But, oh dear no; Lickford was pressed, and couldn't stay. "The young asses!" growled Clapperton. "Why can't they keep their precious news to themselves? If they'd tried, they couldn't have made bigger nuisances of themselves. I suppose, now, Yorke will--" The door swung open again, and Ramshaw, hanging on to the handle, swung in with it. "Hooray, Clapperton! Rollitt's no thief. That money's turned up. Ain't you glad? I am--good evening." This final greeting was cut short by a ruler which Clapperton sent flying at the messenger's head. Ramshaw dodged in time, and the ruler flew out into the passage, where it was promptly captured by Fisher minor, whose turn came next. "Thank goodness that's the end of the young cads!" growled Clapperton. "They've done it on purpose; and I'll pay them out for it. That ass, Fisher major, he's bound to--" Here there came a modest tap at the door, and Fisher minor peeped in, apologetically.