"Rather! Wonder what they're up to, though?" "Perhaps Rollitt's found, and they're going to trot him out." "Perhaps they're going to have an eight-handed mill, those four--you know--like what we had." "I know, when you rammed me below the belt," said Cottle. "Crams. You know I played on your third waistcoat button. I was never below it once." "Perhaps Yorke's going to give a lecture on the ascent of Hawk's Pike." "I know what it is. They're going to give the chaps back their subscriptions. What a run there'll be on the shop directly after!" This last rumour was industriously put about by the juniors, and was believed in a good many quarters. A new diversion, however, served to put aside speculation for a time. "Hullo, who's that lout?" asked D'Arcy, as he and Wally, having shaken off the others for a season, were "taking a cool," arm in arm near the playing-field gate. The object of this remark was a stalwart, middle-aged, labouring man, who carried an American cloth bag in his hand, and, to judge by the mud on his garments, had travelled some distance. He was trying to open the gate into the field, and on seeing our two juniors beckoned to them inquiringly. "You can't get in there," said Wally. "You'll have to go to the other gate at the Watch-Tower." "Is this here Fellsgarth School, young master?" said the man. "Rather," replied Wally. "Is the governor at home!" "Who--Ringwood? I don't know; they'll tell you at the gate." "He's come to mend the door of your young brother's room, I expect," said D'Arcy. "I hope he won't bung up the squirt-hole while he's about it." "No. I say, carpenter," said Wally, as the man was about to turn off in the direction of the other gate, "when you mend that door in Forder's, make it strong, do you hear? It gets kicked at rather by fellows. And don't bung--" "Carpenter? I ain't no carpenter. I want to see the governor." Gruffly as the man spoke, he evidently regarded the two young gentlemen as persons of some distinction, and lingered a moment longer to ask another question. "Beg your pardon, young gents," said he; "but you don't chance to know if Alf Rollitt has come back?" They gazed at him in amazement. "Rollitt? no. Do _you_ know where he is, I say?" "Not come back?" said the man, hoarsely. "I made sure as he'd be back afore now." "Do you know where he is?" repeated Wally. "Not me--he's bound to be somewheres. But the missus, she wouldn't rest till I come and see." "The missus! I say, do you _know_ Rollitt?" "Well, they do say it's a wise father as don't know his own child." "What! Are _you_ Rollitt's father?" asked they, glancing involuntarily at the shabby clothes and rough, weatherbeaten face. "Nothing to be ashamed of, are it?" said the stranger. "'Tain't my Alf's fault I ain't in gents' togs." This rebuke abashed our two juniors considerably.