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Updated: May 28, 2025
I really didn't mean about that rod." Mr Cripps fired up in righteous indignation. "Ah, I dare say, mister. You'll come and snivel now, will you? But you were ready enough to cheat a honest man when you saw a chance. No, I'll have my twenty or else there'll be a rumpus. Make no mistake of that!" The bare idea of a "rumpus" cowed Loman at once. Anything but that.
Directly class was over, Stephen had to go and wait upon Loman for a particular purpose, which the reader must hear of in due time. Loman was a comparatively new boy at Saint Dominic's. He had entered eighteen months ago, in the Fifth Form, having come direct from another school. He was what many persons would call an agreeable boy, although for some reason or other he was never very popular.
He's not only disgraced us, but he's swindled his best friend. It's a blackguard shame!" added he, fiercely. "At any rate, Loman is out of it, from what I hear; he got regularly stuck in the exam." "I tell you," said Ricketts, "I'd sooner have had Loman take the scholarship and our two men nowhere at all, than this."
Poor Loman, he was no match in cunning for this rogue. Who would believe him that he had paid, when Cripps was still able to produce the promise signed with his own name to do so? Bitterly did the boy repent the day when first, by a yielding to deceit, he had put himself in the power of such a villain! He was too confounded and panic-struck to attempt either argument or persuasion.
The bigger the howler the better for me! I only wish you were a true prophet, Noll, in that particular." "Why, of course you'll beat me and if you don't Loman will. I hear he's grinding away like nuts." "Is he, though?" said Wraysford. "Yes, and he's going to get a `coach' in the holidays too." "More likely a dog-cart. Anyhow, I dare say he will run us close.
"Never mind," said Mr Cripps, magnanimously, "you're a light weight. And so you're taking a dander down town, are you? looking for lollipops, eh?" Stephen blushed very red at this. However had Mr Cripps guessed about the brandy-balls? "I came to get a paper for Loman," he said, "but they're all sold out." "No, are they? I wonder what Mr Loman wants with a paper, now?"
Oliver looked at Wraysford; Wraysford looked at Oliver; and then both looked at Loman. The sight of the wretched boy there entreating money of the very fellow who had least reason in all Saint Dominic's to like him, was strange indeed. "Wray," said Oliver, abruptly, after another pause, during which he had evidently made up his mind, "have you any money about you?"
The score crept up, till suddenly Callonby tipped a ball into cover-slip's hand and was caught, to the great delight of the Z's, who guessed that, once a separation had been effected, the survivor would soon be disposed of. The next man in was Loman.
Loman, Wraysford, and Greenfield were rivals in more matters than one.
So Mr Rastle abruptly turned and went, much to the regret of Cripps, who had not half spoken his mind yet. Returning to the school, the master reported all he had to say, which was not much. There an anxious night was spent by the masters and the one or two boys who were in their confidence in the matter. The half hope that Loman might return of his own accord before night was quickly dispelled.
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