“If only I could!” exclaimed the boy; “but how can I?”
“I don’t want to persuade you to break a promise,” said the captain, “but I’m sorry for it.”
“I suppose I’m sure to get expelled,” said the boy, dismally; “they’re sure to make it as bad against me as they can.”
Riddell reflected a little, and then said, “Perhaps it’s only a threat, and no more. At any rate, if the doctor is told he is sure to give you a chance of telling him everything, so don’t give up hope, old man.”
Poor Wyndham did not look or feel very hopeful certainly as he thought over the situation.
“Thanks for telling me about it, anyhow,” said he. “I say, shall you be there to hear what they say?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. But if you are sent for let me know, and I’ll go with you.”
With this grain of comfort the captain went, leaving Wyndham anything but disposed to show up at the cricket practice. Indeed, for a little while he gave up all thought of going out, and it was not till a messenger arrived to tell him he was keeping everybody waiting that he screwed himself up to the effort and went.
Riddell meanwhile, with the other half of his mission still to execute, went over to Parrett’s. Parson was lounging about at the door, with a towel over his arm, waiting, as any one might have guessed, for Telson.
“Has Bloomfield gone out?” asked the captain of this youthful hero.