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Fantasy Football Challenge presents
The Triple Alliance

65 of 65

_Triple Alliance!_" It was customary to laugh at whatever Mugford said, but on this occasion not even a smile greeted the conclusion of his remarks. Only Diggory spoke. "No, we shan't have another Triple Alliance; now it's going to end." He turned, and taking something out of the biscuit-tin, said solemnly, "I, Diggory Trevanock, do hereby declare that the association known as the Triple Alliance is now dissolved; in token of which I break this bit of a flat ruler, used by us as a sugar-spoon, into three parts, one of which I present to each of the members as a keepsake, to remind them of all our great deeds and many adventures." Each boy pocketed his fragment of wood in silence. Jack Vance tried to crack a joke, but it was a miserable failure. "There was something I wanted to say," began "Rats" thoughtfully. "I shall remember it in a minute. Oh, _bother!_" "What's up?" "Why, I know what it was; Mugford's talking about writing to him reminded me of it. I'm awfully sorry, but there were some letters came for you chaps this morning. I took them off the table, meaning to give them to you; but I quite forgot, and left them in my desk." "Well, you're a nice one!" cried Diggory. "Suppose you go and fetch 'em now!" "Rats" scrambled to his feet and hurried out of the room. Jack Vance pulled out his watch, and held it down so that the glimmer of the red light from between the bars of the stove fell upon its face. "My word," he exclaimed, "it's time we thought about packing!" "Wait a jiff for those letters," answered Diggory. A moment later "Rats" came scampering down the passage. "Here they are," he cried; "I'm very sorry I forgot 'em. A letter for Mugford, and a paper for Vance." Diggory relighted the gas-jet which he had turned out after boiling the kettle, and proceeded, with the assistance of "Rats," to gather up the remains of the feast. They had hardly, however, got further than emptying the tin kettle down the ventilator before their attention was attracted by a joyful exclamation from Jack Vance. "What d'you think's happened?" he cried, brandishing the open newspaper. "Why, they've caught the thieves who stole old Fossberry's coins!" "Not really!" "They have, though. It was the old woman who looks after the house, and her husband; they're to be tried at the next assizes. They did it right enough; some of the coins were found in their possession, and--Hullo! what's the matter with you?" The latter remark was addressed to Mugford, who suddenly jumped on a form, began to dance, fell off into the coal-box, scrambled to his feet, and capered wildly round the room. "He's gone mad!" cried Diggory; "catch him, and sit on his head!" "No, I haven't!" exclaimed Mugford, coming to a standstill; "but what do you think's happened? Guess!" "Not that you're going to stay on here!" "Yes! My uncle says he'll pay for me, and I'm to come back again after Christmas!" "Well, I'm sure!" gasped Jack Vance; "and we've just dissolved the Alliance! We must make it again." "No, you shan't!" shouted "Rats;" "Diggory said you wouldn't. I'm coming in, as Mugford suggested, so it'll have to be a quadruple one next time." "Well, so it shall be," cried Jack Vance, embracing Mugford with the hugging power of a juvenile bear: "next term we'll start afresh." Diggory and "Rats" promptly fell into each other's arms, and all four, coming into violent collision, tumbled down amidst the _debris_ of the overturned coal-box; and after rolling over one another like a lot of young dogs, scrambled to their feet, turned out the gas, and rushed away to complete their packing. So, as the door slams behind them, they vanish from our sight; for though the renewal of their friendship tempts us to follow them further in their school life, we are reminded that our story has been told. Here ended the existence of the Triple Alliance, and here, therefore, should the history of its trials and triumphs be likewise brought to a conclusion.

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