"Well," said Mr. Day. "I must set you some punishment. I shall give
the butler instructions to hand you a note from me at three o'clock
to-morrow." (The next day was a half-holiday.) "In that note you will
find indicated what I wish you to write out."

Why this comic-opera secret-society business, Dunstable wondered. Then
it dawned upon him. Mr. Day wished to break up his half-holiday
thoroughly.

That afternoon Dunstable retired in disgust to his study to brood over
his wrongs; to him entered Charles, his friend, one C. J. Linton, to
wit, of Seymour's, a very hearty sportsman.

"Good," said Linton. "Didn't think I should find you in. Thought you
might have gone off somewhere as it's such a ripping day. Tell you
what we'll do. Scull a mile or two up the river and have tea
somewhere."

"I should like to awfully," said Dunstable, "but I'm afraid I can't."

And he explained Mr. Day's ingenious scheme for preventing him from
straying that afternoon.

"Rot, isn't it," he said.

"Beastly. Wouldn't have thought old Day had it in him. But I'll tell
you what," he said. "Do the impot now, and then you'll be able to
start at three sharp, and we shall get in a good time on the river.
Day always sets the same thing. I've known scores of chaps get impots
from him, and they all had to do the Greek numerals. He's mad on the