CHAPTER XXVI. 66 GUNPOWDER TREASON AND PLOT." We saw no more of the Scamp that day, until we went to bed. "Well, have you eaten it ?" asked Freeman, eagerly, as soon as we were left alone. "Yes," replied Sam, evidently crestfallen at having to make such a confession, though to me it was an immeasurable relief to hear such an avowal; for now, if Rogers should have the will to carry out his threat of cramming the rice down my unwilling throat, he would not have the means, since Sam had got rid of the plateful which had been designed for the commission of the deed. "But you needn't kick up such a row as that over it, for I declare I wouldn't have eaten it till Doomsday, if Miss Royce had not asked me to," continued Sam. "Miss Royce? Have you seen Miss Royce? Did she come in here to see you? Was she dressed? How was she? Did she look bad?" were a few of the questions that broke forth simultaneously from a dozen beds at once. For Miss Royce had stood the drenching of the previous day the worst of any one, and had been in bed all day from the effects of a bad cold brought on thereby. And every one was anxious to know about her, for the school was nothing without Miss Royce at the head of it :-so we all thought and said. "Miss Baxter brought that vile, hateful plateful of rice up for my tea," the Scamp continued, "but I wouldn't touch it, and I told her so. Then Anne was sent up with it at supper time, but she smuggled up a great big ham sandwich along with it, the old brick !—oh my! it was good!—for she said she knew I must be hungry, and she didn't wonder at me turning up my nose at boiled rice, for she didn't like it herself —'couldn't bear the smell of it even, let alone the taste,' she said. Well, then Miss Royce sent for me-Miss Baxter nearly caught me eating the sandwich, I had to cram it down my throat like a greedy fowl that has seized a bigger piece than it can swallow !—and she gave me such an awful ‘jaw,' all about the worry that her Ma was in, what with her illness, and our behaviour, and everything, and how I oughtn't to do anything to vex her, after all her trouble and kindness yesterday. I couldn't stand all that, from her, so I offered to eat it, there and then and I did, too-and she was so pleased! And I'd eat the whole pudding, if she asked me to, that I would! At any rate, if I choked myself trying, I'd have a go, just to please her, she is such a reg'lar onner," and Sam, in his enthusiasm, doubled up his pillow, and dug his teeth into it, as though in illustration of his sincerity in offering to start work there and then, if necessary. The fifth of November came, and still Miss Royce was not able to leave her bed. Indeed, these last few days she had grown worse instead of better, and was now in so critical a condition, that we were thrown into a feverish state of suspense and doubt as to the possibility of carrying out the programme of jollifications customarily arranged for this day, the preparations for which had been occupying our minds, and employing our fingers, for some little time previously. But our minds were set at rest at dinner-time, by an announcement from Mrs. Royce, to the effect that though she had originally decided against the holding of these festivities just now, yet that Miss Royce had begged so hard that the boys' pleasures should not be foregone on her account, that she had been over-persuaded, and had consented to yield both this point and another, over which she had had a verbal tussle with the invalid,—viz., that if no worse towards evening, her daughter should be allowed to be wheeled to the window for a few minutes, for the two-fold pleasure and excitement of catching a short glimpse of the whole school collected en masse, and of having a peep at the display of fireworks, which was to take place upon the lawn. So now we could put the finishing touches to our Guy Fawkes, as well as to the bonfire in which he was to be consumed, without any haunting uncertainty as to the crowning issue of all our labours. How queer it would seem not to have Miss Royce amongst us, directing and superintending everything! And stranger still, to fancy her lying upstairs, muffled up in wraps and blankets, and supported by a multitude of pillows and cushions,her whom no one could remember to have seen laid by with a single day's illness before, and whose high spirits and lively disposition had made every one forget, or overlook, the possibility of such a catastrophe happening to her. As soon as ever dinner was over, away ran Willie Knowles and Mat, to join Anne and John in the back kitchen, where Guy Fawkes was waiting-propped up against the pump-to be arrayed in his funeral attire: whilst Freeman and the Scamp scampered away to blacken their faces, and robe themselves in such a dress as they considered consistent with the orthodox costume of an ancient executioner. So when at length they put in an appearance, before the expectant crowd of their admiring companions, we discovered that they had adorned their persons by tying coloured scarves across their shoulders, and fastening belts around their waists, in which latter they had each stuck a wooden sword of home manufacture, but sharpened and pointed, nevertheless, to a degree which was apt to be almost dangerous upon occasions, when rather too freely used; whilst Sam, to render his appear |