Hibbert looked round. Baldry beckoned him, and he came to where they were standing.
"I want you to give this note to Percival. If he asks you where it came from, tell him he will see inside. Then come away. Do you understand?"
"Yes," said Hibbert, looking suspiciously at the note.
"Well, run along. It won't bite you."
Hibbert went off reluctantly with the note. It seemed now as though he were as anxious as the rest to avoid Paul. At any rate, he kept out of his way, but he could not very well refuse Baldry's request.
He found Paul by himself, as usual, in the writing-room. He had commenced work in downright earnest on the prize essay.
"Hallo, Hibbert, is that you?" he asked, looking up as the boy entered. "What have you got there?"
Hibbert handed him the notice without a word, but did not beat a retreat according to the instructions he had received.
"Another meeting of the Fifth," Paul said, as much to himself as to Hibbert, when he had glanced at the note. "I wonder they trouble to send to me. It is too great an honour!"
No suspicion as to the genuineness of the note crossed his mind. It was quite usual for Sedgefield, who acted as hon. sec. for the Fifth, to send out his notices with a messenger from the junior forms.