CHAPTER XXXIX
THE MISSING FLAG
Stanley did not wish to meet Paul. He might suspect his purpose in beingthere. There was no possibility of turning away, however, so he keptstraight on, keeping as close to the wall as possible. Paul's head wasbent to the ground. He seemed absorbed in thought, and passed by Stanleyas though he had not seen him.
"I don't think he saw me," Stanley told himself. "He looked a bitworried, and I don't wonder at it. He can't have a very pleasant time ofit."
For an instant Stanley felt inclined to turn back. "Forgive and ye shallbe forgiven." Still the words he had just read were repeatingthemselves. Paul and he had not spoken for so long. A few words mightclear up everything. Clear up everything? No. How was it possible toclear up that scene in the sand-pits? So Stanley's heart hardened again,and he went on.
Meanwhile Paul entered the dormitory, and drew from his pocket a note hehad just found awaiting him at the porter's lodge. He had read it twicebefore, but he could not help reading it again.
"Meet me to-morrow (Wednesday), half-past two, at old elm, nearsand-pits. Be sure and come. Very important."
This note was scribbled in pencil, and unsigned, but Paul knew thewriting well enough. It was Wyndham's. What was it Wyndham wanted withhim? What was it that was so important? Had he gained any information asto the missing flag? He was thinking over this note when he passed byStanley, and it was this which had given to him that "worried"appearance that Stanley had noticed in his face.
He sat for some time musing over this letter, and then, to get away fromit, drew from the locker his Bible. It opened, of course, at the placein which Stanley had placed his note. Paul unfolded and read it, with nosmall astonishment: "Beware! Steer clear of Bedes. Plot on foot to turnyou from Garside."
Plot on foot to turn him from Garside! What could the plot be? This notewas more puzzling than the other. Like that, too, it was unsigned; butthis time Paul was beaten. The writing was unknown to him. He could notguess the writer, but he could see plainly enough that it was in adisguised hand.
Then he suddenly realized that the two notes clashed. The one was aninvitation to meet a Bede; the other warned him to steer clear of Bedes.If he obeyed the one, he would have to disregard the other. What was heto do? He did not hesitate long. Wyndham he knew. His friendship hadbeen proved. He knew nothing of this anonymous writer--the writer whoprofessed to warn him of a hidden danger, but did so in a disguisedhand, and had not the courage to put to it his name. He would keep theappointment with Wyndham, whatever happened.
So the next day, as soon as the clock had struck two, and he was free,Paul started off for the old elm, near the sand-pits. Punctual though hewas, Wyndham was awaiting him.
"I'm so glad you've come, Percival," he said, as he came towards him andshook him warmly by the hand. "I've splendid news to tell you."
"The flag?" exclaimed Paul, speaking the thought that was uppermost inhis mind.
"You've made a very good guess. Yes, the flag. I've got some very goodnews about it--very good news indeed. In fact, I rather fancy I knowwhere it is."
"Where--where? Can we make for it?" exclaimed Paul, excited at the news.
"Wait a bit. Don't be in such a steaming hurry!" smiled Wyndham. "BeforeI say a word more, I must ask you not to make use of the information I'mgoing to give you against any of our fellows at Bede's."
Paul readily consented. To get possession of the flag was the chiefthing he cared for. That accomplished, he could afford to bemagnanimous.
"From the first I suspected that one of our fellows had a hand in it,"went on Wyndham. "You remember that day when you were set upon by adozen or so of the sweet cherubs from Bede's?"
"Only too well."
"Sorry to stir up painful memories. There was one amongst the numbersaid to belong to the amphibia. Do you recollect that, too?"
"Of course I do!" laughed Paul. "Mellor, you mean--once a Gargoyle, nowa distinguished Beetle? Recollect it? Who could forget it? It labelledhim to a T. You don't mean to say----"
"Yes, I do," smiled Wyndham. "He and another Beetle, whose name Ineedn't mention, captured the flag between them. It was a plucky thingto do, and when I found out what had happened, I don't think I shouldhave troubled any more about it, only I remembered that there was afellow at Garside who was standing alone, fighting against the wall."
"Wyndham!"
"Don't interrupt. This fellow was rather anxious to get hold of themissing flag; and so, out of respect for him, and not for any of themean cads who hail from the same place, I persuaded Mellor & Co. to handit over. It was not easy work, I can tell you. They felt that I wasrobbing them of their rightful prey. But at last they came round,and----"
"You got possession of the flag!" cried Paul. "How splendid of you,Wyndham! Instead of getting out of debt, I get deeper and deeper intoit. But where is the flag?"
"Can't you guess?" smiled Wyndham.
"Guess?" repeated Paul, puzzled.
"Yes. I've done my part; that's your part," answered Wyndham, enjoyinghis mystification. "S'posing we go for the old game--'Hot boiled beansand very good butter'? Hallo!" The smile died from his face as hisglance went to the roadway. "Here are some of your lot! They haven't gotwind of our meeting, have they?"
Paul glanced in the direction of the roadway. Sure enough, there werefour Garsiders coming along the road--Newall, Parfitt, Plunger, andStanley. As his glance went to the road Parfitt caught sight of him;then all four stopped and glanced in the direction where Paul andWyndham were standing. An animated conversation took place for a minute.It seemed as though they were undecided how to act. Then they came to adecision, and walked quickly on.
"I'm not sorry they didn't come, though I should have been pleasedenough to meet them at any other time," said Wyndham contemptuously."Let's get on with our game. Now, then, are you ready? 'Hot boiledbeans, very good butter; ladies and gentlemen, come to supper.' Atpresent you're frightfully cold, freezing, perfect icicle."
He rubbed his hands together, and flung them across his chest, and blewupon his fingers as though he were suffering from the same complaint;and then he laughed again at Paul's mystified expression as he gazedround. There was no sign of the flag. At length Paul's glance restedupon the decayed old elm-tree, near which they were standing.
"You're getting warmer," smiled Wyndham. Then, as Paul walked towardsthe tree: "In fact, quite hot."
Paul put his hand into the hollow of the tree, and drew out the missingflag, wrapped in a covering of American leather-cloth, just as it hadbeen when Mellor and Crick had taken it to St. Bede's.
"What can I say, Wyndham?" he asked, in a thick voice as he stood there,with the prize in his hand. For the moment there seemed to be a mistbefore his eyes.
"Say? Nothing, of course! All you've got to do is to get back to Garsideas soon as you can, for I shouldn't be surprised if those fellows we sawjust now mean mischief."
The anonymous letter flashed into Paul's mind as Wyndham spoke--"Beware!Steer clear of Bedes. Plot on foot to turn you from Garside."
Could it be that the four he had seen were concerned in that plot? Itwas quite possible to believe it of Newall and Parfitt--they had alwaysbeen his enemies--but Stanley--No, he could not believe it of him.However, he scarcely cared what happened to him now he had gainedpossession of the flag. He would be able to redeem his promise. The mainthing was to get it back to its old place on the turret.
So he took Wyndham's advice, and started back to the college withoutfurther delay.
Meanwhile the three who had started from Garside, under the guidance ofPlunger, for the purpose of capturing the flag on their own account, hadpassed Wyndham and Paul, as we have seen, on the way. They littlesuspected the purpose of that meeting. They never imagined that it hadanything to do with the flag.
Parfitt, the first to catch sight of the two, gloated over thediscovery. Stanley's heart fell. He now saw with his own eyes that Paulwas really on friendly terms with Wyndham. He had taken no hee
d of hisnote of warning. He had treated it with scorn.
"He's playing a deep game," said Parfitt. "I believe he means turningover Garside for Bede's, like Mellor did."
"I believe so, too; but he can't do it before next term, and we must getour blow in before then. It all depends on getting hold of that flag.Now, then, Plunger, buck up!"
Plunger increased his pace, and it was not long before he reached theshed in which he and Moncrief minor had been initiated into the "NobleOrder of Beetles." They reached it, as arranged, fully half an hourbefore the time appointed for Plunger to meet "the mystic brethren." So,as they hoped and expected, they found it empty.
"Now, Plunger, where do you say the flag is? Quick! We've got no time tolose!" said Newall.
Plunger did not answer. He stood dumfounded. There was the place wherehe had been initiated into the "mystic brotherhood." There was the placewhere he had stood and looked up at the "mystic emblem," and haddiscovered to his amazement that it was the missing school flag. Herubbed his eyes then; he rubbed them now. The flag had gone! Gone! Hadit ever been there? Was that scene, after all, as it had more than onceseemed, only a dream?
"Wake up, sleepy!" cried Newall, kicking him on the shins to rouse him."Where's the flag?"
"It was there, just over my head," answered Plunger, pointing to theroof above him; "but it isn't there now."
They searched the shed, but could find no trace of the missing flag.There was a large box in which it might be hidden, but that was locked,and there was no time to force it.
"You're not making fun of us, Plunger, are you?" demanded Newall,clutching him fiercely by the arm.
"Really, I'm not."
"Well, look here, you'll have to meet these fellows again, just asthough you'd turned up in answer to their note, and see if you can wormout anything about the flag. If we're seen here it'll spoil the game.But we won't be far off. If you want any help, yell out, and we'll seewhat we can do for you. Do you understand?"
Plunger understood perfectly, but, all the same, he did not like theprospect of meeting the brethren of the mystic order again. However,there was nothing for it but to give in, so he gave in with as goodgrace as possible.