538             The Channings


                  CHAPTER LIX
                        READY
  THE glorious surprise of Charley's safety greeted
Hamish on his return home to dinner. In fact, he
was just in time, having come in somewhat before one
o'clock, to witness Charley's arrival from the college
school-room, escorted by the whole tribe, from the
first to the last. Even Gerald Yorke made one, as
did Mr. William  Simms. Gerald, the smart over,
thought it best to put a light, careless face upon his
punishment, disgraceful though it was considered to
be for a senior. To give Gerald his due, his own
share in the day's exploits faded into insignificance,
compared with the shock of mortification which shook
him, when he heard the avowal of his mother, respect-
ing Roland. He and Tod had been the most eager of
all the school to cast the guilt of Arthur in Tom Chan-
ning's cheek; they had proclaimed it as particularly
objectionable to their feelings that the robbery should
have taken place in an office where their brother was a
pupil; and now they found that Tom's brother had
been innocent, and their own brother guilty ! It was
well that Gerald's brow should burn. " But she'd no
cause to come here and blurt it out to the lot, right
in one's face !" soliloquized Gerald, alluding to Lady
Augusta. " They'd have heard it soon enough, with-
out that."
  Mr. William  Simms also attended Charles.  Mr.
XVilliam was hoping that the return of Charley would
put him upon a better footing with the school. He
need not have hoped it: his offence had been one
that the college boys never forgave. Whether Charley
returned dead or alive, or had never returned at all,
Simms would always remain a sneak in their estima-
tion. " Sneak Simms," he had been called since the
occurrence; and he had come to the resolution, in his
own mind, of writing word home to his friends that
the studies in Helstonleigh college school were too
much for him, and asking to be removed to a private
one. I think he would have to do so still.