"But it was my old exercise-book, sir," Jennings explained, "and I didn't need it any more because it was the end of the term, sir."
Mr Wilkins nearly danced with anger. "Of course, you'll need it again," he exclaimed. "If you finished the exercise-book it doesn't mean that you can throw it away. You must keep it and use it all your school life... And here is a term's work on the geography of Australia, and you tear it to make these silly decorations!"
"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't think," said Jennings.
"You never think, Jennings," said Mr Wilkins. "You must be punished for what you have done." Mr Wilkins stopped for a moment and thought of a punishment. "You will stay away from the party this afternoon."
The boys were shocked.
"Oh, sir, please, sir, let him go to the party, sir," asked' Darbishire. "It's Christmas, sir."
"Be quiet, Darbishire!" said Mr Wilkins. "And you, Jennings, can spend the time on something useful. You can tidy the stationery cupboard." Mr Wilkins went to the door, but before he left the common room he turned to Jennings again and said, "Maybe it will teach you not to tear valuable exercise-books another time!"
"It's not fair!" examined Darbishire when Mr Wilkins shut the door.
"Not fair at all," agreed Temple.
"And all this after you had tried to be decent to him," said Venables.
"And sent him a Christmas card," said Atkinson.
"Well, we can't do anything about it," Jennings said in a sad voice and went out of the common room.
The stationery cupboard was not a cupboard at all. It was a small room at the end of the corridor.
Two days before Mr Wilkins had been 1 here and made up a list of the stationery f which he needed for next term. But he had no time to tidy the shelves. So when Jennings opened the door of the little room he saw exercise-books, rulers, pens, pencils and boxes of chalk scattered on the shelves and on the floor.
He began to work. Soon Darbishire's face appeared in the doorway.
"I'll help you if you like, Jen," he said. "But only till the party starts, of course." "Thank you, Darbi," said Jennings. "Of course, if there is something nice to eat at the party I'll try to take it out for you in my pocket," said Darbishire.
For some minutes they worked without saying a word. They put the books in rows and gathered together rulers and erasers.
And then Jennings made his great discovery... At the back of a shelf behind a box of chalk he found a fountain-pen. He knew whose fountain-pen it was when he saw it.
"Look what I've found!" he cried and waved the pen under his friend's nose.
"Why are you so happy? It's only an old fountain-pen," said Darbishire.
"But don't you know whose pen it is? It's Old Wilkie's!"
"That's right," said Darbishire. "It's the fountain-pen that he always uses when he corrects our exercise-books."
"But that isn't all," said Jennings. "he had lost it and was very angry when he couldn't find it."
"He doesn't deserve to get it back, if you ask me."
"Maybe not, but - well, I can't confiscate it like he confiscated my penknife," Jennings answered. Then he thought for a moment.
"If I give him back his pen he may be in a good mood and he may let me go to the party. What do you think, Darbi?"
"You never know with Old Wilkie. But we can try. Let's go and find him. The party may start any minute now."
They put the rest of the books back on the shelves. Jennings put the fountain-pen in his pocket and the boys went to the door. When Jennings closed the cupboard door a bright idea came into his head.
"Listen, Darbi, I have a wonderful idea," he exclaimed. "I'm not going to give the fountain-pen to Old Wilkie now."
"Why not?"
"Come to the dormitory with me and I'll tell you all about it."
At that moment the school bell began to ring. Along the corridor the doors opened and boys hurried to the party in the dinning hall.
"But I can't come now," said Darbishire. "I'm going to the party, Jen, even if you are not."
"We'll both go to the party, if you do what I tell you." Jennings took his friend by the arm and they hurried to Dormitory 4.
"I don't want to give Old Wilkie his fountain-pen when he is angry. He'll take it and say nothing," Jennings explained. "The right time to do it is during tea. He'll be in a good mood then."
"Yes, of course. Wait till he begins to drink his tea and then come into the dining hall and give him his fountain-pen as a Christmas present. A good plan, Jen! He will have to let you stay at the party then."
"That is not all, Darbi, it won't be me who comes into the hall - it'll be Father Christmas!"
"Father Christmas?"
"When everybody sits down at tea there
• will be a knock on the door. Everybody will ; look round and I shall come in in a red robe and white beard. I shall walk straight up to Mr Wilkins and give him his fountain-pen back - as a present from Father Christmas."
"You are right, Jen. Even Old Wilkie can't be so bad as to ask Father Christmas to leave the room," said Darbishire. "But where are you going to get the robe and the beard? You haven't got much time, you know."
Jennings, as usual, had a ready answer. He went to his bed and took from it a bright red blanket.
"I can put it over by head and pin it under by chin."
"And what about your beard?" asked Darbishire.
"Cotton wool! Matron has got a lot of it," answered Jennings.
It must be said that Mr Wilkins was going to let Jennings be present at the party. He was also going to. give him back his penknife.
But on his way to the stationery cupboard he heard the bell and at that very moment he met Mr Carter.
"You haven't dressed up yet," said Mr Carter.
"Dressed up?" asked Mr Wilkins in surprise.