“Why, whatever’s up? Where have you been?” inquired Bloomfield.
“I have just been to see poor Gilks off,” said the captain.
“What! then it was true?”
“Yes, I hadn’t time to tell you yesterday. He’s been expelled.”
“The cad!” cried Bloomfield. “It’s lucky for him he was able to slink off unnoticed.”
“Oh! don’t be too down on him,” said the captain. “You’d have been sorry for him if you’d have seen how cut up and ashamed he was. After all, he was little better than a tool in somebody else’s hands.”
“Silk’s you mean?” said Bloomfield. “And I suppose he gets off scot-free?”
“No; he is expelled too. He had to confess that he suggested the whole thing, and he is to go this morning.”
“That’s a comfort! But why on earth did they cut our lines instead of yours?”
“That was a blunder. Gilks, in his flurry, got hold of the wrong rudder. I really think that’s why it wasn’t found out long ago.”