It seemed a fatality, and who was to say whether his next move might be to quit Grandcourt without even giving them a chance?
“The only thing to do is to go and catch him at the doctor’s,” said Ainger; “we’ve a right to go—at least I have—to report Munger.”
“All serene,” said Barnworth, “better for you to go alone. It would only put Pony’s back up if we all went.”
For once in his life Ainger felt that there were some dignities connected with the captaincy of a house; and for once in his life he would have liked to transfer those dignities to any shoulders but his own.
But he put a bold face on it, and marched across to the doctor’s.
“Perhaps I shall only make it worse for Railsford,” said he to himself. “Pony will think it precious rum of us to have let two terms go by without finding the secret out, and then, when it suits us to find it, getting hold of it in half an hour. So it is, precious rum! And if Railsford has known the names all along and kept them quiet, it’s not likely to make things better for him that we have discovered them on our own account. Anyhow, I’m bound to report a thing like this at once, and it’s barely possible it may turn something up for Railsford.”
As he crossed the quadrangle a cab drove in, and set down a tall, elderly gentleman, who, after looking about him, advanced towards the prefect, and said,—
“Can you direct me to the head-master’s house?”
“Yes, sir,” said Ainger, “I’m going there myself. It’s this way.”
It wasn’t often strangers made so early a call at Grandcourt.