CHAPTER XXXIV
THE MYSTIC ORDER OF BEETLES
To the bewilderment of Plunger and Moncrief minor they found themselvesin the grip of four figures, with masks somewhat after the fashion ofthose worn by motorists. They had been taken so completely by surprisethat they made no attempt at resistance. If they had it would have beenuseless, for their captors held them firmly by both arms, and rushedthem breathlessly across the field as far as possible from the roadway.
"St--stop it, will you?" Plunger at length found breath enough tostammer. "Oh--oh!"
The last exclamation was caused by a sharp dig in the ribs, whichbrought his question to an abrupt conclusion. Inspired by Plunger'sexample, Harry thought that he might also venture on a question.
"Who--who are you? And--and--where are you taking us?"
An answer was conveyed to him in the same forcible manner in which ithad been conveyed to Plunger; but, though the dig in the ribs made himgasp, it did not altogether silence him.
"Crawlers--wretched Beetles--that's what you are! Oh, oh, oh!"
A dig in the ribs from both sides effectually closed Harry's lips forthe time being, while the pace at which his captors took him along wasincreased to such a rate that he could scarcely keep his feet. At lengththey stopped before a barn, and the foremost of the four captors knockedupon the door three times with his knuckles.
"Who's there?" came a voice from within.
"Four of the Brethren," answered the youth who had knocked.
"Are you alone?"
"No; we have brought two novices who are anxious to be introduced to themystic order."
Plunger began to prick up his ears. The mystic order? What mystic order?And what were they going to do with them?
"Two novices who are anxious to be introduced to the mystic order?" camethe voice from within. "They wish to become brethren?"
"Yes."
"N--n--no!" came in a gasp from Plunger's lips; but another sharp dig inhis ribs reduced him once more to silence.
"Yes, most worthy K. O. P. They are dying to become brethren of thenoble band."
"I say, you unkind Beetles," began Harry. "Oh, oh!"
He was silenced by the same unfailing method which had just been broughtto bear upon his companion.
A short conversation took place between the masked figure who had actedas spokesman and the person within. At the end of it the former turnedto his companions.
"Blindfold the novices. The Keeper of the Portal has commanded it."
Keeper of the Portal? That, then, was the meaning of the initials "K. O.P." thought Plunger.
It was getting more and more mysterious, but he did not like the idea ofbeing blindfolded. What were they going to do with him--with Moncrief?At first he felt inclined to resist, but a sharp twist of the wrist soonconvinced him that resistance was useless. Harry had come to the sameconclusion, so they submitted with the best grace they could to bandagesbeing placed round their eyes. Then they heard the door open and thevoice of the "Keeper of the Portal" commanding them to enter.
They entered. As they did so, Plunger thought he heard some onesniggering, and again a wild idea crossed his mind that he would strikeout and make a desperate effort to escape from his captors; but theinstant he moved he was brought to a standstill by the energeticmeasures which were now becoming painfully familiar to him.
The sniggering, if sniggering it was, soon ceased, and then a strangesilence reigned in the barn. The silence was a great deal worse toPlunger than any amount of ridicule. Who were in the barn? What washappening?
He strained his ears to the utmost. He could hear the sound ofmysterious footsteps walking stealthily to and fro, but no one spoke. Hestood there and shivered, though the perspiration was oozing from hisforehead. Was some desperate plot on foot against them? The footstepsceased. All was again so still that he began to think the barn had beendeserted and that he had been left in it blindfolded, to make his wayfrom it the best he could. He was about to call out to Harry when avoice he had not yet heard called out sharply:
"Gargoyle with the eyebrows, what is thy name?"
Gargoyle with the eyebrows!
"S'pose that's meant for me," thought Plunger, "but I'm not going toanswer such impudent questions."
"The noble president speaketh. Answer, Gargoyle with the wiry thatch,"came a voice in Plunger's ear, accompanied by a sharp kick on the shins.
Gargoyle with the eyebrows! Gargoyle with the wiry thatch! Was thereever such insolence? But that kick on the shins told Plunger that toraise any protest would only bring upon him worse punishment, so hestammered out:
"Fre--Frederick Pl--Plunger."
"Plunger! Thy name is worse than thy face."
Plunger heard sniggers on every side at this reference to his name, ofwhich he had always been very proud.
"It's such an uncommon one, you know," he had often said to his croniesat Garside. And now the wretched crew into whose hands he had fallenwere trying to make fun of it. He bubbled over with indignation, butsimmered down on hearing similar questions put to his companion inmisfortune.
He was aroused from these reflections by hearing the chief of the bandexclaim, in tones of command:
"Make fast the portal!"
He heard the sound as of a rusty bolt being thrust into its socket.
"I say, you chaps," he protested, beginning to feel alarmed again as heheard this ominous sound, "I wish you'd stop your larks and take thiswretched thing from my eyes. If you'll just oblige me, I won't give youaway--I really won't."
"We're going to take the bandage from thy eyes, but first thou mustpromise, on the banner of our Noble Order, to become a comrade and abrother."
"I--I promise," stammered Plunger, anxious only to get the use of hiseyes again.
"Thou must promise also, by the same sacred emblem, never to reveal whatthou dost see."
"I--I promise."
The same questions were put to Harry, who was just as anxious as hiscompanion to see what was going on, and thought that no possible harmcould be done in following Plunger's lead. So he gave the same promises.
The bandages, however, were not immediately removed. The two boys couldhear the sound of footsteps moving round them, and voices chanting insome unknown tongue what seemed to be a mysterious incantation.
"Remove the bandages," commanded the chief, when this curiousincantation, of which the two prisoners could make nothing, had ended.
At this command the bandages were removed. The scene that presenteditself to the astonished eyes of Plunger and Harry was one of the mostextraordinary they had ever witnessed. Their four captors seemed to havedisappeared. Standing around them in a circle were what appeared to beeleven beetles standing erect on two legs, instead of crawling about onfour. On the breast of each was a letter, which, being white, stood outprominently from the dark background, and gave to this singular circle astill more singular appearance. The letters made up the following:
M. O. OF BEETLES.
in other words--The Mystic Order of Beetles.
Plunger rubbed his eyes. Was he awake or sleeping? He was wide enoughawake, but he could not at once grasp the situation. What did it allmean?
The reader has doubtless made a better guess at what had happened thanPlunger. It was in this way. Mellor and Crick, the two boys who hadgained possession of the Garside flag, had found a good deal ofamusement at first in making surreptitious visits to the barn, anddancing round their capture, but they soon began to long for somethingmore exciting. Truth to tell, the capture had not made the sensation inthe ranks of the enemy they had anticipated--so at least it seemed tothem. They had expected early reprisals, but none had come. So, afterthey had performed a war-dance round the flag with their companions fiveor six times, Mellor yearned for something more exciting. So did Crick.So did the others.
"The Gargoyles don't seem to worry much about the flag after all," saidMellor, thoughtfully wiping his brow, after the last of these spiritedexercises round the Garside
standard.
"Not a bit. Seems to me they're only too glad to get rid of the wretchedthing," remarked Finch, one of the boys who had been envious of thedaring capture.
"Are they? That's all you know, Finch," retorted Mellor, angry that hisremark should be taken so literally. "If we could only see them, weshould find them tearing their hair and gnashing their teeth."
"Then why don't they come after their property and try to get it backagain?"
"Because they don't know for certain who's got it. They're lying low."
"Well, we'd better do the same. I can't see much fun in hopping roundthe wretched rag. Why the Gargoyles should make so much of it I can'tmake out."
"That's because you've never been at Garside. I dare say if we'd beenleft a flag like that by an old school-fellow who had made a name forhimself, we should have been as proud of it as they are. It was worthgetting just to set those bounders back a bit. I should like to see youdo what Crick did, Finch!"
There were murmurs of approval at this, and Finch subsided into silence.Nevertheless, when Mellor began to reflect, there seemed to be a gooddeal of force in Finch's observation. There wasn't much fun, after all,in hopping round "the wretched rag." So he thought of a way to improvematters. Once or twice the idea had occurred to him of establishing asociety calling itself the "Mystic Order of Beetles," and using it forthe benefit of the rivals who had bestowed upon them so contemptuous atitle.
Directly he mentioned it to his companions it was hailed withenthusiasm.
What could be better than making some of those wretched Gargoyles eathumble pie under the very flag they were so proud of? So amongst themthey designed an appropriate costume for the "Mystic Order of Beetles,"and the meeting-place and dressing-room were arranged in the barn.
So the society was started. Having started it, the next thing was tocapture some of the enemy. In order to accomplish this interestingpurpose, a band of scouts was established for the purpose of reportingon the movements of the enemy at the first favourable opportunity. It sohappened that this was on the very day that Paul went to Wyndham to makeinquiries about the flag.
The scouts were rather disappointed when they found, from their post ofobservation on the other side of the hedge, that the boy making his wayto St. Bede's was Percival. There had been already one trial of strengthwith him which had not been entirely successful. Besides which Wyndhamhad championed his cause, and they were bound to respect Wyndham'sopinion. Furthermore, the fame of Paul's heroism had reached St. Bede's,as the reader has seen, and they had lost their former contempt for him.They were therefore on the point of turning disconsolately away whentheir eyes were gladdened by the sight of Plunger and Harry followingPaul.
Here were the prizes they had longed for. The enemy was delivered intotheir hands.
So the scouts had carried off their prisoners to the barn, where theircomrades were waiting them. What followed we have seen.
Plunger and Harry looked on the extraordinary circle which surroundedthem in wonder. No word fell from the Beetles. They stood perfectlystill, as though enjoying the surprise which their extraordinaryappearance had created in the breast of their prisoners.
"I say, you are a rum lot!" Plunger at length burst out. "Mystic Orderof Beetles! Ha, ha!"
He burst into a wild fit of laughter, but his laughter was suddenlychecked by a resounding thud upon the shoulders. He then discovered thatthe Beetles standing around him were armed with sheepskin bladdersattached to sticks. They did not hurt much, but the noise they made wasconsiderable.
"Silence! Thy mirth is unseemly," came from the chief of the circle, whowas no other than Mellor. "Remember, that thou hast been admitted to theMystic Order of Beetles, and hast promised by the sacred emblem abovethee to be true to the cause."
The sacred emblem above! The prisoners looked up. There was a flaghanging from the roof of the barn--a tattered flag. Plunger rubbed hiseyes. Surely it was the old flag--the flag of Garside?
"Why--why--that's--that's----"
"Silence!"
The bladders came down in a perfect shower on Plunger's head andshoulders. As for Harry, he could not speak. The sight of the flag hadsmitten him dumb.
"Thou hast promised to be true to the cause," repeated the chiefsolemnly. "Should'st thou ever dare to break the vow, thou wilt behaunted for the rest of thy life--haunted sleeping and waking by theBeetles thou hast betrayed! Describe the mystic circle."
Describe the mystic circle! What in the name of wonder was that? Thebladders descended upon Plunger as he stood in the centre of the ringwith his companion, wondering what was expected of him.
"I--I don't know any mystic circles," he stammered in despair.
"On hands and knees--quick!"
Plunger hastened to obey the command.
"Crawl round the mystic circle three times."
Plunger would have refused had he dared, but he dared not; so, amid agood deal of suppressed laughter from the Beetles standing round him, hecrawled round the circle three times.
"Rise, brother!" commanded Mellor, when he had accomplished this feat.
Plunger gladly sprang to his feet.
"Give him the mystic tap."
Thwack--thwack came the bladders on Plunger's devoted head. And Plungeralmost regretted that he had risen. Harry went bravely through the sameordeal. This accomplished, the Beetles joined hands, and gallopingwildly around the two boys, chanted:
"Beetles of the mystic band, Wind we round thee, hand in hand; Whene'er thou hear'st thy chieftain's call Rest not, pause not, hither crawl; Or to the realms of creepy-crawley, Shivery-shaky, we will haul thee!"
As this incantation went on, Plunger and Harry had a lively time insidethe mystic circle. By the dexterous application of a knee or a shoulder,Plunger would be sent with a run in one direction, while Harry would besent flying in another. They were whirled about from this side to thatlike indiarubber balls. Then of a sudden they would find themselvesclosely embracing each other in the centre of the ring, only to besundered again, and sent flying in another direction.
At length the "Brethren of the Mystic Order" stopped breathless, much tothe relief of Plunger and Harry.
"Keeper of the Portal conduct our newly-made brothers to the door."
The Keeper of the Portal, Crick, conducted them to the door.
"The time has come to say farewell--for the present," said Mellor, asthey all gathered round the door. "Don't forget that thou art pledged tous by the bonds of our noble order. In token whereof, give them themystic wallop."
The bladders came down with a resounding thwack on the newly-madebrethren, during which the Keeper of the Portal opened the door. Plungerand Harry darted through. Roars of laughter followed them, but they didnot look back. They did not pause till they were well on the road toGarside.
"I say, Moncrief minor," said Plunger, drawing up breathless, "we'vedropped in for a fine thing."
The same idea had occurred to Harry, but he was not so ready to admitit.
"How do you mean?"
"Why, we've joined hands with the enemy--the Beetles. There's no gettingout of it."
"I suppose there isn't," answered Harry gloomily.
They walked on in silence for a few moments. Then Harry glanced round,as though half fearful that some one was following, and whispered:
"I say, Plunger."
"Well, what is it?"
"Did you notice the flag we were standing under?"
"The flag we were standing under?" repeated Plunger innocently. "Well,not particularly. What was it like?"
"Like! I believe it was the school flag!"
"You don't say so. Never!"
"I'm positive it was."
"The school flag? This is awful! Couldn't you have let me know? What aduffer you are! I would have sacrificed my life to get that flag! Iwouldn't have stood their nonsense like I did had I thought that was ourflag. I would have fought them till my last breath. Why--why didn't youlet me know?"
"I t
hought you did know."
"And to think that I crawled to them--crawled, with the flag of the oldschool looking on. It's nothing to you--you're only a fresher fromGaffer Quelch's; but to me, Plunger, it's--it's----" Not being able tofind a word strong enough to express his meaning, Plunger suddenlyturned on Harry again. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Moncriefminor, letting me make such an ass of myself."
"How could I help it, Freddy. They made an ass of me too."
"There you go again, always poking your wretched self in. What does itmatter to you? You don't count at Garside. I do--that's the difference.I wish you wouldn't look at these things from such a selfish point ofview. You're always thinking of yourself--a miserable fresher, as I'vesaid, from Gaffer Quelch's. If it ever gets about the school that I'vebeen made a Beetle under the Garside flag, what will the fellows thinkof it? I shall never hear the last of it. I shall be roasted all round."
"And serve you right, too!" cried Harry, losing his temper. "A jollygood roasting will do you good. It'll take some of the bounce out ofyou. If it hadn't been for you, we shouldn't have got into this mess."
"What do you mean?" demanded Plunger hotly.
"It was all through playing the spy on Percival. If it hadn't been forfollowing him, those Beetles wouldn't have got hold of us."
"Come, that's good. Your cheek's superb. That's the only thing you seemto have brought with you from Gaffer Quelch's. Who was it suggested weshould follow Percival? Was it me, I should like to know, or one of thelittle prigs from Gaffer Quelch's?"
Harry could not immediately respond. He had forgotten for the momentthat the suggestion to follow Percival had come from him. But after amoment's reflection he answered lamely:
"Yes; but it was you who caught sight of Percival as he was on the roadto St. Bede's and put the suggestion in my head."
"Well, of all the bosh----Oh, shut up, or put on a strait-waistcoat.You're getting dangerous," said Plunger crushingly, seeing that he had"scored."
Harry, indignant with himself, Plunger, and all the world, went onahead. But after a bit Plunger caught up to him.
"You needn't get into a wax because I set you right just now. I flattermyself there aren't many chaps can score over me when I choose to setabout them. It's not your fault that you've got too much of GafferQuelch's seminary for boys and girls about you. I had it for the firstterm at Garside, but I soon grew out of it. And you'll grow out of it,too. Fact is, Harry, neither of us is to blame for falling into thehands of the Philistines--Beetles, I mean. Let's put the blame on theright shoulders."
"And the right shoulders are----"
"Percival. It was through following him we fell into that beastly trap,and it seems to me--though I don't like to say it--that Percival has agood deal to answer for. What was he doing at St. Bede's? What was hedoing with that fellow, Wyndham, who knocked about your cousin sounmercifully at the sand-pits? Did you notice what good terms they wereon--Wyndham with his arm tucked through Percival's."
Harry had seen it all, and as Plunger was speaking he recalled thatother scene he had striven so hard to forget--when he had seen Percivaland Wyndham together near the school. He had tried to put that from him,especially since the heroism Percival had shown on the river. But now itall came back with a rush. There was not the slightest doubt thatPercival and Wyndham were on terms of friendship. No one who hadwitnessed the scene that he and Plunger had witnessed could question it.What did it mean? There was something behind it all.
"Yes, I noticed it, Freddy," he slowly answered. "It puzzles me, and Idon't know what to make of it." Then looking up quickly, as though asudden suspicion had come to him, he blurted out: "I say, is it possiblethat--that----No, I can't say it--it's too horrid."
"Out with it. There's no one to hear you but me. Remember, we're both inthe same boat."
"No one to hear me but you," said Harry, looking quickly round. "And Ishouldn't like anybody to hear but you; it's a horrid suspicion thatcame into my mind just now. There must be something between Percival andWyndham, that's certain. I've tried not to believe it; but it's no usetrying to shut our eyes to facts. Can it be that Percival's plottingagainst his own school, can it be that he is betraying us to theenemy--those beastly Beetles?"
"Funny! Just the same thing's been running through my mind. Can it bethat he's betraying us to the enemy, and can it be"--here Plunger'svoice dropped to a whisper, as though he feared the very hedges mightoverhear him--"that it was he who hauled down the school flag and handedit over to the Beetles?"
"No, no; I can't believe that," cried Harry, clasping his hands over hisface, as though to blot out the suspicion.
"And I've been trying not to believe it, but what else are you to makeof it? A Beetle couldn't have got to the turret and taken the flag offhis own bat. There must have been some one helping him who knew allabout the school. If it wasn't Percival, who was it? What are we tothink after what we've seen?"
So it came about that while Percival had been doing his best to traceout where the school flag had gone, so as to return it to its old placeof honour on the turret, the suspicion came into the minds of these twoboys that he was betraying the school.
Even at the moment that this suspicion was born, Paul was sitting by thebedside of Hibbert, with the boy's hand in his. Hibbert had beentalking, but the tired eyes, which shone out so brightly from the wanface, had begun to close. Yet the hand still held fast to Paul's. And asPaul looked down lovingly on the face, he murmured to himself the wordshe had spoken to Wyndham that afternoon--"The link between us kept mestrong when all Garside was against me."
And Paul had need of strength, for the battle had not yet ended.
The Hero of Garside School Page 35