That question was soon to be answered, when they arrived back at the College, and Billy was able to question the others as to what had transpired during his absence. He was vastly amused at the account of how he had been impersonated in the classroom.
He roared with laughter over the events narrated, and appeared a different fellow altogether now that the Black Star was once again in his keeping.
"What about hiding the Star this time?" said Jack.
"No Edgar Allan What's-this stunts," said Billy, grimly. "I'm going to put it under that loose flooring-board in the study. When the carpet's back in place no one could ever find it."
And that evening the Star was duly interred in its new hiding-place, the three study-mates standing round Billy Faraday as he replaced the board and the carpet, and left everything intact. "Let's hope it's safe this time," he breathed.
As the three boys returned from lunch next day, Jack opened the study door and fell back with an exclamation.
"Redisham!" he said.
"Yes, Redisham," said the owner of the name, in an obviously forced attempt to appear at ease. "What about it?"
The intruder was standing in the middle of the study, and it was evident that their entry had surprised him. But there was nothing to show that he had been up to any shady games. Jack closed the door. He had remembered that they had their suspicions of Monty Redisham, already—and it was not usual, at Deepwater, for visits to be paid to studies during the occupants' absence.
"What about it?" repeated Redisham, with a shade of defiance that showed that he knew he was suspected.