"Beg pardon, sir," said the constable, evidently sore about the blazer, "the young gent must come along with me now. That's my duty, and I can't take no instructions contrary." "Very well," said the doctor stiffly; "we will go to Captain Rymer at once." "Hadn't you better handcuff me?" said Tempest, who appeared to be seized with a wild desire to exasperate the man of the law. The policeman glared as if he was disposed to take him at his word. "None of your imperence, I can tell you, my beauty!" said he. "I ain't a-going to stand it--straight. Come, stir yourself." "It is not necessary," said the head master, "for you to come with us. I give my word that we shall be at the police court immediately. But I wish to avoid the public scandal of one of my boys going through the streets in charge." "I ain't a-going to let him out of my sight," said the ruffled constable. "I know his style." Tempest smiled provokingly. "I'd sooner walk, sir," said he. "If the policeman holds me on one side and Mr Jarman on the other--" "Silence, sir," said the doctor sternly, while Mr Jarman raised his brows deprecatingly. "Am I to come too?" said I. "Yes." "I should like Pridgin and some of the fellows to be there too, sir," said Tempest. "They saw me just before and just after the explosion." "It does not seem necessary to have more boys," said Mr Jarman. "Not to you!" said Tempest hotly; "the fewer _you_ have the better. But if you choose to accuse me, I sha'n't ask you whom to have to speak for me." "Tempest," said the head master, "you are only doing yourself harm by this. Jones, go and fetch Pridgin, and any of the others he speaks of, to the police court; and kindly do not say a word of what has passed here. Now, constable, are you ready?" The school was fortunately all within doors at the time, so that, except to the few who chanced to be gazing from the windows, the little procession, headed by the doctor and Mr Jarman, with the policeman and Tempest bringing up the rear, passed unobserved. I was full of apprehensions. Whatever the result, I knew Tempest well enough to be sure that the effect on him would be bad, and would call out in him all that spirit of insubordination and defiance which had before now threatened to wreck his career. A strong sense of responsibility was all that had hitherto held it in check. If that were now shattered--and how could it help being upset by this charge?--it would break out badly and dangerously. I was not long in speeding over to Sharpe's, where I found Pridgin just going over to class. He heard the doctor's message with a groan of weariness. "What's the use of my going?--_I_ can't tell them anything," said he. "You can tell them Tempest never did it," said I.