"We want to say that the captain of Willoughby has always been a fellow who was good all round, and we think the new captain ought to be of the same sort for the sake of the school." "Hear, hear," said one or two of Parrett's house; "what could be better than that ?" "Well," said Porter, "I don't see much difference between saying that and telling the doctor he doesn't know what he's about." "Of course _you_ say so--that's your schoolhouse prejudice," replied Wibberly.
"It's nothing of the sort," said Fairbairn, warmly; "you know that as well as I do, Wibberly." "I know it is," retorted Wibberly; "you'd put up with anybody as long as he wasn't a Parrett fellow." And so the wrangle went on; and at the end of it the company was as near agreeing as they had been at the beginning.
Finally one or two of the schoolhouse fellows, such as Fairbairn, Coates, and Porter, withdrew, and the Parrett faction, having it then pretty much their own way, drew up the following petition: "We the undersigned monitors respectfully hope you will reconsider your decision as to the New Captain.

The captain has hitherto always been an `all-round man,' and we think it would be best for the discipline of the school to have a fellow of the same sort now.

We wish to say nothing against Riddell except that we do not think he is the best fellow for the position.

We hope you will excuse us for stating our opinion." To this extraordinary document all the monitors of Parrett's and Welch's houses present put their names, as well as Gilks and one or two others of the schoolhouse, and after deciding not to present it till next day, by which time it was hoped other signatures might be procured, the august assembly broke up.
The reign of Riddell had not, to say the least of it, opened auspiciously as far as his fellow-monitors were concerned.

And outside that body, in Willoughby at large, things did not look much more promising.
The feeling in Parrett's house was of course one of unmingled wrath and mutiny.