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"I mean, may I go and tell him that I went those two times to Beamish's? I promise to say nothing about you." Gilks laughed once more. "What do I care what you go and tell him?" he said. "If you want to get expelled as badly as all that I don't want to prevent you, I'm sure." "Then I really may?" exclaimed poor Wyndham, scarcely believing his own ears.
A few thought Gilks might have been accorded a second chance, but the majority argued that if a fellow caught crabs like that in a practice he would probably do it in the race, and they did not want the risk of that. As to his excuse about the steering, every one who knew anything about that knew it meant nothing, and Gilks did not repeat it.
Gilks and Silk had of course been up before the doctor, and the latter had carried out the threat of which Riddell had told him; and now he was summoned to hear his fate! At the schoolhouse door he found Riddell waiting for him. "Oh, Riddell, I say!" exclaimed he, in tones of misery, "I've to go to the doctor at once. Silk has told about me. I say, do come with me."
"And I suppose he gets off scot- free?" "No; he is expelled too. He had to confess that he suggested the whole thing, and he is to go this morning." "That's a comfort! But why on earth did they cut our lines instead of yours?" "That was a blunder. Gilks, in his flurry, got hold of the wrong rudder. I really think that's why it wasn't found out long ago." "Very likely.
"Not he. You can make him do what you like. He's not all the notions of his own that the Reverend Riddell has, hang him!" "Well, old man," said Silk, "as I said before, you're a nice boy, and a sweet companion for a tender youth like me. Ha, ha! Good-night. Are you one of the deputation that's going to present the petition in the morning?" "Yes, I am," said Gilks.
Among the few who remained on the scene of the accident were Gilks and Silk, both pale and agitated. The latter, as has been said, was painfully interested in the result of the race. To him the defeat of Parrett's meant more than the mere disappointment of a hope or the humiliation by a rival.
"Yes, and isn't he hot about the race? I say, Gilks, I hope there'll be no mistake about Parrett's winning. I've a lot of money on them." "Never fear," said Gilks. "It'll be rather a rum thing if I, rowing in the schoolhouse boat, can't put the drag on them somehow. I don't expect for a moment it will be wanted; but if it is, Gilks will be under the painful necessity of catching a crab!"
"Oh! it doesn't matter," said Wyndham, who could not help being rather gratified to hear a monitor making apologies to him; "only I don't mean to go down again." "No, of course not; and if Gilks suggests it I'll back you up. By the way," he added, in tones of feigned alarm, "I suppose you didn't tell him about going to Beamish's, did you?"
"Do you know what he's done?" "No, I don't; and I don't care." "Don't you care?" snarled Silk, fast losing his temper; "that foolery of yours has spoiled everything." "So much the better. I don't care." "But I care!" exclaimed Silk, furiously, "and I'll see you care too, you fool!" "What's happened, then?" asked Gilks. "Why, Riddell "
But Riddell wouldn't have known it to this day if you hadn't given the young idiot leave to go and blab, and so clear it up." "Let him blab. I wish he'd clear up everything," growled, or rather groaned, Gilks. "Look here!" said Silk, stopping short in his walk and rounding on his victim. "I've had quite enough of this, and you'd better shut up. You know I could make you sorry for it if I chose."
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