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The first boy called upon was Pietrie, who deposed, that on Friday evening, when he left the room, having been detained a few minutes, the only boy remaining in it was Williams. Carter, the school-servant, was then sent for, and deposed, that he had met Master Williams hastily running out of the room, when he went at a quarter past six to lock the door. Examined by Gibson.
First two or three more offered, and then a whole lot, gaining courage by numbers. So the plot was regularly laid. Pietrie and Graham were to put out the lights at each end of one table immediately after tea, and Wildney and Brooking at the other, when the study fellows had gone out. There would then be only Mr.
So that night Duncan, hearing of what was intended, sat in the next study, and Eric, with Bull, Wildney, Graham, and Pietrie, had the room to themselves. Several of them were lower boys still, but they came to the studies after bed-time, according to Wildney's almost nightly custom. A little pebble struck the study window. "Hurrah!" said Wildney, clapping his hands, "here's the grub."
I happened to be in the library when Rose sent for him, and Pietrie said mildly that "he didn't see the harm of it." Rose smiled in his kind way, and said, "Don't see the harm of it! Do you see any good in it?" "No, sir." "Well, isn't it forbidden?" "Yes, sir." "And doesn't it waste your money?" "Yes, sir." "And tempt you to break rules, and tell lies to screen yourself?"
He'd smell a rat in no time." "I have it," said Pietrie. "I've got an old nail, with which I believe I can open the lock quite simply. Let's try." "Quietly and quick, then," said Eric. In ten minutes he had silently shot back the lock with the old nail, and the boys were on the landing.
Eric went and sat by him, and he sat up in his bed "First of all, you're to keep awake till twelve to-night," he whispered; "old Rowley'll have gone round by that time, and it'll be all safe. Then come and awake me again, and I'll watch till one, Pietrie till two, and Graham till three. Then Graham'll awake us all, and we'll dress." "Very well. But how will you get the key of the lavatory?"
So the theft of the pigeons remained undiscovered, and remains so till this day. If any old Roslyn boy reads this veracious history, he will doubtless be astounded to hear that the burglars on that memorable night were Brio, Pietrie, Graham, and Wildney. "Praepediuntur Crura vacillanti, tardescit lingua, madet mens, Nant oculi." LUCR. iii. 417.
"Good! stand back. Pietrie, come up." Pietrie, too, confessed, and indeed all the rest of the plotters except Brooking. Mr. Rose's lip curled with scorn as he heard the exclamation which his denial caused; but he suffered him to sit down. When Wright's turn came to be asked, Mr. Rose said "No! I shall not even ask you, Wright.
"We havn't seen him for an age, and he's getting too lazy even for a bit of fun." "Good; and Graham," suggested Eric. He and Wildney regarded their possessions so much as common property, that he hadn't the least delicacy in mentioning the boys whom he wanted to invite. "Yes; Graham's a jolly bird; and Bull?" "I've no objection; and Pietrie?" "Well; and your brother Vernon?"
"Yes, sir," said Pietrie, putting his tail between his legs. "And don't your parents disapprove it? And doesn't it throw you among some of the worst boys, and get you into great troubles? And your humble servant was convinced." "Well, well," said Eric laughing, "I suppose you're right. At any rate, I give in. Talking in this way they got to Rilby Head, where they found plenty to amuse them.
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