He felt as if he must press his fingers in his ears and run, but he managed to maintain his slow walk, and got into the class-room, Dobson at his heels; and the latter asked in consternation-- "How ever did they find out?" "I don't know--I don't care!" was the fierce answer. "But I will pay them all out! And to think of Rexworth going in for the Newlet!" "Won't he crow if he manages to get through!" remarked Dobson; and Elgert jumped up. "He must not get through, Dobson; somehow we must stop him." "That is all very well. But how can we do it?" queried Dobson, with a shake of his head. And Elgert replied-- "Wait until morning school is over, and I will tell you." CHAPTER XXVII IN THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT "I tell you that it can be done. What danger is there, if we are only careful not to make a noise? What a miserable coward you are, Dobson!" So said Horace Elgert. He and Dobson were together, and morning school was over. They had met that Elgert might unfold his plan for preventing Ralph Rexworth having any chance of gaining the Newlet medal, and also for getting him into disgrace by making it appear that he had been cribbing; and apparently Dobson did not much like the plan, and had been making objections which had called forth Elgert's angry remonstrance. "What danger can there be?" The question came again, when Dobson did not reply. "Why, you have risked more than that when we have left the house at night! You have thought that a lark. And now we have only to go to the Head's desk, and then sit in the class-room for an hour or so." "It will be awfully cold there," shivered Dobson. "And just think--stopping for two hours, and the chance all the time that some one will come!" "Rubbish! If it is cold, put on your overcoat. You don't call it cold when you stand for longer than that keeping goal, with an east wind blowing. It is no use trying to make objections. I am determined to try it, and you have just got to help me." "I don't see how we can do it," grumbled Dobson. "I think we had better leave him alone. After all, it don't matter to us if he gets the medal." "Everything matters that advances him. Now, look here. After the exam. is over, all the papers are taken to the Head, and he puts them in his desk, and sends them to the examiners in the morning. We know that much." "Yes," assented Dobson.