What could it mean, but that Willoughby had mutinied, and, in open defiance of his authority, gone down without leave to Shellport! He hurried out of his room.

There was scarcely a sound in the house.
He went into the playground--only one boy, Gilks, was prowling about there, half-mad with toothache, and either unable or unwilling to give him any information.

He looked in at Parrett's, no one was there, and even the schoolhouse seemed desolate.
The captain returned to his study and waited in anything but a placid frame of mind.

He felt utterly humbled and crestfallen.

It had really seemed of late as if he was making some headway in his uphill task of ruling Willoughby, but this was a shock he had never expected.