He had not been seen since his escape from the monitorial fangs after morning school.

The natural thing, of course, on not finding him at home in his own quarters, was to look for him in Telson's.

But he was not there, nor, strange to say, was Telson himself.

And, what was still more odd, when search came to be made, Bosher, another fag of Parrett's house, was missing, and so was Lawkins, and Pringle, and King, and Wakefield, and one or two others of the same glorious company.

After a fruitless search, the oarsmen had finally to go down to the river without a fag at all, and impound the boat-boy to steer for them.
The fact was, Parson's miraculous release from the hands of the law that morning, and the reason which led to it, had suggested both to himself and the faithful Telson that the present was rather a rare opportunity for them in the annals of Willoughby.