"Hey! Stop whispering and go to sleep."
That was the voice of Bromwich, the dormitory monitor.
Jennings had to stop talking. "Never mind," thought Jennings. "When the time comes Darbi will understand what he has to do."
* * *
At half past seven the next morning Jennings went into the music room and began to play Beethoven's Minuet in G. Soon he stopped playing and listened. In half a minute he heard a knock on the wall. Yes, Mr Wilkins was listening, Jennings began to play again.
Jennings smiled to himself as he turned back to the keyboard. Everything was all right!
Five minutes later Darbishire ran into the music room.
"Here I am," he whispered. "What do I have to do?"
Jennings stopped playing and answered, "Do you see that cupboard in the corner? There is a pile of records on the top shelf, and among them you'll find Beethoven's Minuet in G."
"I don't understand why you can't do it yourself," said Darbishire and opened the cupboard.
The answer to this question was a loud knock on the other side of the wall.
"That's why I can't do it myself," Jennings pointed to the wall and began the Minuet again.
Soon Darbishire found the record and put it on the record-player. Then he switched on the record-player and whispered, "Say when."
Jennings stopped playing and jumped to his feet. "Start now!" he said.
At once the boys heard Beethoven's Minuet in G. There was a difference, of course, between Jennings' playing and the playing of a famous pianist on the record. But for the boys there was no difference. They were happy with their idea.
"Wonderful, isn't it!" exclaimed Darbishire. "It sounds just like you playing. I'm sure Old Wilkie will like it. He'll think-"
"Be quiet, Darbi. I'm in a hurry." Jennings went to the door. "Maybe I'll come back before the record has finished, but if I'm not, start it playing again."
Jennings hurried from the room. The sounds of Beethoven's Minuet in G followed him along the corridor to the staff room.
* * *
Mr Wilkins did not listen to Jennings' playing attentively. He was quite happy that the boy played without stopping. So the record-player had been playing for half a minute before Mr Wilkins realized that something unusual was happening.
To his surprise he began to sing the melody - a thing he had never done before. Now he realized that the music sounded quite different: the boy was improving!
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Jennings gets back his exercise-book
Mr Wilkins went out of his room and in the corridor he met Mr Carter.
"I say, come and listen to this!" Mr Wilkins said. "For many weeks that boy, Jennings, has been driving me out of my mind with his awful playing of the Minuet in G.
"I'm not surprised," answered Mr Carter. "I know what Hind thinks about Jennings' playing."
"Well, but we are wrong. The boy's playing is wonderful. Listen to how he is playing now."
Mr Carter listened for some moments and then said, "You are not trying to tell me that that's Jennings playing the piano?"
"Wonderful, isn't it?"
"It's more than wonderful - it's impossible," said Mr Carter.
"You see. Carter, I've often noticed how some of these boys quite suddenly..."
And then, quite suddenly, an awful thing happened. The needle stuck in a worn groove and began to repeat the same notes again and again.
Of course, Darbishire had to watch the record-player, but it so happened that at that moment he was on the far side of the room looking out of the window. He .ran to the record-player and released the needle from the groove... But it was too late.
"What-what... It's impossible!" exclaimed Mr Wilkins. "If that silly little boy thinks he can sit there, listening to records when he must practise..."
He did not finish the sentence, but hurried to the music room and opened the door. "Jennings!" he shouted. "Why are you -?"
And then he stopped because he didn't see Jennings in the room. He saw Darbishire who was trying to hide himself behind the cupboard.
"Darbishire! What are you doing in here?"
Mr Wilkins shouted.
"I was just-I was just listening to the music," answered Darbishire. •
"Oh, were you? And where's Jennings?"
Darbishire looked round the room as if trying to find his friend.
"He... he.. he is not here," he had to say.
"I can see that, you silly little boy! I want to know where he's gone."
"He had to go to.. he had to go to..."
"To the staff room?"
Darbishire did not answer, but Mr Wilkins knew that he was right.
"I see," said Mr Wilkins. "Some funny business is going on," he decided. "And that nonsense about autograph books last night. There must be something in it."
Mr Wilkins realized that the boys wanted to visit the staff room when he was not there. Why they wanted to do so Mr Wilkins did not know... But he was going to find out!
He told Darbishire to go back to his dormitory and told Mr Carter about his suspicions.
"Jennings, as usual!" he said angrily. "He's put the record on to make me believe that he is in the room playing the piano."
"Yes, I think so, too," said Mr Carter. "Are you going to find out what is going on?"
"I certainly am!" said Mr Wilkins and hurried along the corridor to the staff room.
* * *
When Jennings came into the staff room he hurried to the table where he expected to find Form Three's geography exercise-books. But there were no geography exercise-books on the table. He began to look for them, and it took him two or three minutes to find them under a newspaper on the floor behind an arm-chair. It took him another minute to find his exercise-book. And when he put his hand into the pocket to take out an eraser, he heard footsteps in the corridor. To run away was impossible. "Maybe the footsteps will pass," he thought. "Maybe!..."
But at that moment the door opened and Mr Wilkins hurried into the staff room.
"Jennings! So I thought!" exclaimed Mr Wilkins. "What are you doing in here?"
"Nothing, really, sir. I just wanted my geography exercise-book back before you've corrected the test, sir."
"And I told you yesterday that you couldn't have it."
"I know, sir. Only I made a - a - a mistake, sir. You see, I wasn't in the classroom when you collected the exercise-books, and Bromwich took my exercise-book out of my desk before I -"
"All right, that's enough. Give the exercise-, book to me. I'll see this mistake myself," said
Mr Wilkins and began to turn over the pages of Jennings' geography exercise-book.
Jennings did not dare to look at Mr Wilkins. Now he would see his portrait... But he didn't!
Mr Wilkins turned over the last page and gave the exercise-book back to Jennings.
"That isn't the right exercise-book," he said. "There is no geography test in it."
For a moment Jennings did not know what to say. Then he looked at the exercise-book and saw that it was his old geography exercise-book. "When Bromwich was looking for it in my desk," Jennings thought, "he took the first geography exercise-book that he saw. So the exercise-book with the test must still be in my desk. And that is the exercise-book in which I have drawn the caricature of Old Wilkie!"
Jennings was happy!
"Yes, sir, this is my old exercise-book. Bromwich collected it by mistake. May I go and get the exercise-book in which I. did the test, sir?"
"Yes, if you want me to correct it," said Mr Wilkins.
Mr Wilkins was surprised. "Boys are strange creatures," he thought. "Why couldn't this silly little boy say that Bromwich had taken the wrong exercise-book? Why did he do all those things with autograph books and a record-player? To get back his old exercise-book and put the new one in its place? No, I can't understand these silly creatures."
"Go and get it at once!" said Mr Wilkins. "And I only hope that you are going to keep your new
exercise-book more tidily than your old one."
"Yes, sir, you may be sure that it will be very clean," said Jennings and his fingers closed on the eraser in his trouser pocket when he left the staff room.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Mr Wilkins is angry because he has lost his fountain-pen
Jennings went to the classroom, found the geography exercise-book with the test, rubbed out his masterpiece and gave the exercise-book to Mr Wilkins.
After that he could turn to more pleasant things such as the decorations for the Christmas party.
They had already made more paper chains than they needed, and it was more and more difficult to hide them. The boys remembered that Mr Carter had not allowed them to hang up the paper chains till the day of the party.
"We must do something about it," Jennings decided when he was going into the dining hall for breakfast.
When Darbishire saw him he ran up to him.
"What happened, Jen? Did you get your exercise-book back? Did Old Wilkie come in and catch you?" asked Darbishire.
"Yes, he did, but it didn't matter," answered Jennings.
"Didn't matter! But what-?"
"Bromo collected my old exercise-book by mistake - without the drawing."
"That's fine," said Darbishire. "I just didn't know what to do. You see, the needle stuck in a groove and Old Wilkie came in and -"
"Well, never mind," said Jennings. "I'm worrying about the decorations for the common room. I think we've made more paper chains than we need."
"It's a pity we have to stop making more decorations. I wanted to do a fringe round the lamp-shade in the common room."
"Well, do it, if you wanted to."
"I can't. I've looked into all the waste-paper baskets and there isn't any more paper anywhere."
As usual, Jennings could think of something useful. "You can use my old geography exercise-book for it," said Jennings, "the exercise-book that Old Wilkie has just given me back."
"You don't need it, do you?" asked Darbishire.
"No, I don't need it any more. So you can use it for something useful."
"A good idea!" Darbishire agreed.
It so happened that it was not a good idea, but Jennings could understand it only ten days later.
* * *
As the end of the term was coming nearer the teachers were busy writing reports, and the boys were busy packing their things to be ready to go home.
When Jennings was packing his things he suddenly remembered about an important thing that he must do.
"I've nearly forgotten," he said to Temple. "Old Wilkie hasn't given me back the penknife that he confiscated during the geography test."
"I think you have to go to the staff room now and ask him for the penknife," said Temple.
"I'll go after dinner," said Jennings. "I think he'll be in a good mood after dinner."
But Mr Wilkins was not in a good mood after dinner. And when Mr Carter came into the staff room after dinner to collect the teachers' reports he found Mr Wilkins looking for something.
"I haven't begun writing my reports, Carter," said Mr Wilkins. "I can't find my fountain-pen anywhere."
"You've chosen a bad moment to lose it. The Headmaster asked me to collect the reports and give them to him at once," said Mr Carter. "Are you sure you've looked properly?"
"Of course I've looked properly. I've looked everywhere. I can't think where it can be. I know I had it when I took some paper from the stationery cupboard yesterday morning, but where..."
There was a knock on the door. And when
Jennings came into the staff room Mr Wilkins was certainly not in a good mood.
"Well, what's the matter, Jennings? asked Mr Carter.
"Sir, please, sir, may I speak to Mr Wilkins?"
"I am not sure, Jennings," answered Mr Carter. "Mr Wilkins is very busy now. He is looking for his fountain-pen."
"Oh! Is it a red fountain-pen that he has lost, sir?"
Mr Wilkins turned to Jennings.
"Yes, it is!" he said. "have you seen it?"
"Oh, yes, I've seen it, sir."
"That's fine! Where is it then?"
"I don't know, sir," answered Jennings. "I only mean I've seen it - well, hundreds of times, in class and in your pocket, sir."
Mr Wilkins turned to the table again.
"But if you can't find it you can take mine," Jennings said quickly. "I shall be very happy to give it to you, sir."
"No, thank you, Jennings," answered Mr Wilkins.
"I was only trying to do you a favour, sir," said Jennings. "Because, you see, I hope you will do me a favour, too, sir."
"Can't you see that I've no time for favours?" said Mr Wilkins angrily. "Can't you see that I'm busy?"
Jennings decided to try again.
"It will not take you a minute, sir," he said. "You see, I wonder if you can give me back my penknife that you confiscated, sir."
Mr Wilkins frowned. He usually gave back the confiscated things at the end of the term. At the same time, he was certainly not going to give Jennings back his penknife when Jennings wanted it.
"Please, boy, I don't want to hear this nonsense about penknives when I've got more important things to think about."
"Excuse me, sir," said Jennings and left the staff room.
"Why can't Old Wilkie be decent to me?" Jennings thought as he closed the staff room door behind him. "Maybe he is not going to give me the penknife back at all. But by hook or by crook I must get it back."
* * *
"Excuse me, Wilkins," Mr Carter said when Jennings left the room, "but the Headmaster asked me to have a talk with you about tomorrow's party. He thinks it will be better if we start the party with a surprise."
"What surprise?" asked Mr Wilkins.
"Oh, nothing very special," answered Mr Carter, "he just thought that if you were to come in to tea dressed as Father Christmas -"
"What!" exclaimed Mr Wilkins. "Me! Father Christmas! Well, I - I..."
"I don't think it's difficult, Wilkins. I've done it myself many times," said Mr Carter. "We have a robe for Father Christmas, a beard..."
"Well, why can't you be Father Christmas if you like the idea? And you've done it many times before," said Mr Wilkins.
"I'll be busy organizing the party. And during tea I shall have to announce that an important visitor has arrived. Then you'll come in from the kitchen smiling," explained Mr Carter. "After that you'll cut the cake and give a piece to each boy."
Mr Wilkins was not happy about it. "And my reports?" he asked.
"You will not write your report during the party, even if you find your pen. And if you don't I'll give you mine. It's better than Jennings'!"
Mr Wilkins could not think of any more excuses
"All right," he said. "I'll play Father Christmas if you think that I have nothing better to do on the last day of the term."
* * *
When Jennings came up to the common room five minutes later, he was still trying to think of something that could make Mr Wilkins happy.
In the common room he found Darbishire drawing another Christmas card.
"Now I know what to do," said Jennings.
"What are you talking about?" asked Darbishire in surprise.
"You see, Old Wilkie is very angry today. He's got my penknife and doesn't want to give it back. So I wanted to think of something that could make him happy. And now I know what I'll do."
"What?"
"I'll make a Christmas card and send it to him. I'm sure he'll like it."
Chapter Forty
Jennings tries to make Mr Wilkins happy
The bell for the end of school the next morning meant not only that lessons were over for the term, but also that the boys could start hanging up their home-made decorations.
They quickly brought their paper chains, lanterns and other things to the common room, and soon all the walls and the ceiling were covered with decorations.
"It's a pity we are going home to
morrow," Temple said to Atkinson. "The common room looks so nice now - and we only look at it for half an hour before tea."
The news of Jennings' wish to send Mr Wilkins a Christmas card quickly spread among the members of Form Three. They gathered round Jennings to see the Christmas card.
When it was ready Jennings said, "I'm going to send it by air-mail." The boys looked at him in surprise when he crossed the common room, went up to the window and looked out. The staff room was on the ground floor ten yards away, and the wall ran at right angles to where Jennings was standing at the common room window on the first floor.
The window of the staff room was open at the top and Jennings could see Mr Wilkins at the table.
"Come here, boys!" Jennings said to his friends. "You are going to see something interesting."
With these words Jennings took the Christmas card and made a dart out of it. On one of its sides he wrote: To Mr Wilkins from Jennings.
Then he opened the common room window and launched the dart. At first the boys were sure that the dart would hit the wall far from the window, but at the last moment it skimmed through the open window into the staff room.
All the boys were happy.
"Hurray! Hurray!" they shouted.
"Go away from the window," said Jennings. "If he turns and sees us smiling at him it'll spoil the surprise."
The boys went from the window but Jennings stayed and told them what was happening in the staff room.
"He is taking it from the floor," he said in a whisper. "He is looking at it now."
"Is he reading it?" asked Darbishire.
"No, he's looking up at this window. He's guessed where it came from."
"That's fine," said Atkinson. "I expect he'll come up to you during the party and say thank you."
"I'm sure old Sir will be happy," said Darbishire, "and he will certainly give you back your penknife."
"We'll soon know about it," said Jennings. "He's just gone out of the room and I think he's coming up here."
But the boys were wrong. Jennings' dart did not make Mr Wilkins happy. Moreover, it made him angry. "What game are these boys playing throwing pieces of paper into the staff room?" he said to himself.
Jennings and His Friends Page 14