“Really, I can hardly say. So much has been happening to-night. No doubt you have not yet heard——”
Toby waved the point aside.
“I may have done you a good turn. I hope so, anyway. One of the youngsters in your house has been bullied into getting whisky for someone amongst your seniors, and at last he’s kicked. So this evening he ran away.”
“Good gracious me!” exclaimed the other, “who’s run away? Why, only this evening I have had——”
“Fortunately,” said Toby, pressing on hastily, “I came across him myself and I have been able to lead him back to the fold. It may be in time for you to take this matter of the whisky in hand yourself before anything comes out about it.”
Mr Seymour rose a little farther out of his bed and pointed at Toby excitedly. He was suddenly very wide awake.
“You say this boy ran away? I am not surprised. This evening a boy was found in this house drunk, and he was expelled.”
“Expelled?” repeated Toby, cocking one eyebrow in surprise. “By the Head, do you mean?”
“Yes.”
“Who was the boy?”