“My father will never forgive me if I am dismissed,” he said in a broken voice.

“But supposing I had dismissed the Rovers and Stanley Browne?” asked the doctor severely.

“Yes, yes, I know, sir!” wailed Flockley.  “But, oh, sir, don’t send me away!  I’ll do anything if you’ll let me stay!”

“I will think it over,” answered the head of Brill shortly.  And thus Flockley was dismissed from the office.

“It was certainly a wicked piece of work,” said Songbird to the others in the room.  “I really think somebody ought to be arrested.”

Tom was about to speak when a footstep sounded in the hall, and a knock on the door followed.  Sam opened the portal, to behold Flockley standing there, hat in hand.  The dudish student was as white as the wall, his clothing looked dishevelled, and his shoes were un-blacked, a great contrast to the Flockley of old.

“What do you want?” asked Sam abruptly.

“I want—­I want—­” commenced Flockley brokenly.  Then he stepped into the room and confronted Dick.  “Oh, Rover!” he cried, “won’t you—­won’t you please, please get Doctor Wallington to let me stay at Brill?  Please don’t let him send me home!  I’ll do anything—­apologize, get down on my knees, if you like—­but please help me to stay here!”

Flockley caught Dick by the arm and continued to plead, and then he entreated Sam, Tom, and Stanley, also.  It was a truly affecting scene.  They all commenced to speak.  He had been so mean, wicked, so unlike a decent college fellow, how could they forgive him?

And then came a pause, and during that pause a distant church bell sounded out, full and clear, across the hills surrounding Brill.  Dick listened, and so did his brothers and Stanley, and the anger in their faces died down.

“Well, I’m willing you should stay,” said Dick, “and I’ll speak to the doctor about it, if you wish.”

“And so will I,” added Sam and Tom, and Stanley nodded.

“But you ought to cut such fellows as Koswell and Larkspur,” said Tom.

“I will!  I will!” said Flockley earnestly.

The Rovers and Stanley Browne were as good as their word.  On the following day they had another interview with the head of the college and spoke of Flockley.

“Well, if you desire it, he can remain,” said Doctor Wallington.  “As for Koswell and Larkspur, I doubt if they wish to return, since they have not yet shown themselves.  You can prosecute them if you wish.”

“No, we don’t want to do that,” said Dick.  “We have talked it over, and we think, for the honor of Brill, the least said the better.”

“That conclusion does you much credit, and I feel greatly relieved,” said the head of the college.  He turned to Tom.  “You are, of course, reinstated, Thomas, and I shall see to it that the marks placed against your name are wiped out.  I sincerely trust that you and Professor Sharp will allow bygones to be bygones, and will make a new beginning.”