"Fordham's gone, and be hanged to him! Now for it, Galloway!"

"Stop a bit," said Bywater. "They must be wrapped up, or else tied
close together. Better wrap them up, and then no matter who sees. They
can't swear there are keys inside. Who has any paper about him?"

One of the boys, Hall, had his exercise-book with him. They tore a
sheet or two out of it, and folded it round the keys, Hurst producing
some string. "I'll fling them in," said Bywater.

"Make haste, then, or we shall have to wait till the barge has gone
by."

Bywater took a cautious look round, saw nobody, and flung the parcel
into the middle of the river. "_Rari nantes in gurgite vasto_!"
ejaculated he.

"Now, you gents, what be you throwing into the river?"

The words came from Hudson, the porter to the Boundaries, who appeared
to have sprung up from the ground. In reality, he had been standing on
the steps leading to the river, but the boat-house had hidden him from
their view. He was a very different man from the cloister porter; was
afraid of the college boys, rather than otherwise, and addressed them
individually as "sir." The keeper of the boat-house heard this, and
came up the steps.

"If you gentlemen have been throwing anything into the river you know
that it's against the rules."