"I'm wanting so awfully to be friends with him again.

I've given him back all I got out of the shops; and it will spoil everything if you tell him this, really--it isn't true either." Crofter laughed pleasantly.
"It's rather likely I should shield you, isn't it?
when all this term you and your friends have been insulting and defying me, and setting yourself to upset my authority as captain of the house." "Oh, but we aren't!" "What does this precious thing mean ?" demanded he, producing the famous round-robin; "it's meant to be all politeness, I suppose." "It only means," faltered I, "that we are sorry Tempest is not captain." "Naturally.

It's nice to have a captain one can swindle and rob, isn't it ?" I groaned miserably--it seemed no use trying to put myself right.
"If you chose to be civil and back me up, it would be different," said Crofter.
"But we are--we're going as steady as anything," said I.
"What do you mean by going to Pridgin and Wales and Tempest for _exeats_ and special leave instead of to me ?" he demanded.
This was a point I was unprepared for.

It was true that the Philosophers, in their desire not to be interfered with by the new captain, had made a point of applying, as they were entitled to do, to any of the other prefects of the house in preference to Crofter for _exeats_ and occasional leave to go without bounds.

It had always been considered the prerogative of the captain of the house to grant these; but, strictly speaking, the other prefects had the right too.