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"What for?" Spink demanded

"We aren’t sick," I added rather stupidly

"I know that!" Caulder was properly disdainful of our ignorance "You’re to come and fetch that fat cadet back to Carneston House The doctor has certified that he’s fit to return for duty"

"What? What happened to hiustedly "Come on I’ll take you to him" Then, as I obediently placed my rock on my bookshelf and prepared to follow him, he demanded suddenly, "What’s that?"

"What?"

"That rock What’s it for? What is it?"

I was sick of this youngster, for his lack ofabout his father’s authority without any regard for his elders "The only thing you need to know about it is that it isn’t yours," I responded tartly "Let’s go"

If I’d had younger brothers rather than younger sisters, perhaps I would not have been so shocked by what happened next Caulder shot out his hand and snatched the rock off the shelf

"Give ed that he had taken asaway from me with the rock in his hands He re to hide a piece of food while he devoured it He seeotten his mission

"What happened to Gord?" Spink deain

"Someone beat him" A note of satisfaction was in this announcement I could not see Caulder’s face but I was certain he was sh me I reached over his shoulder, seized his wrist, and squeezed it He released the rock and I caught it and restored it to o," I told hier He cradled his ar His voice was venoain, you peasant bastard This adds another strike to ainst you Don’t think others don’t know about how you poisoned hed at me Don’t think I don’t have friends who can help e on you"

I was shocked "I had nothing to do with that!" I blurted out angrily before I could realize that keeping silent would have been better I’d all but admitted that his tobacco experience had been a cruel prank, not an accident

"It happened here," he said coldly, turning away "It was your patrol All of you were in on it Don’t think I don’t know that Don’t think my father doesn’t kno you misused me It’s like the Writ says, Cadet: ‘Evil befalls the evildoer in its tiod is just’ Nohy don’t you follow ood look at justice?"

Still cradling his bruised wrist, he stalked away I paused only to put on my winter cloak Spink had hastily dressed for the weather and aiting anxiously for us I hurried after Caulder and Spink Spink glanced back at me as ent down the stairs and his face was pale "Were you told to fetch us specifically?" he asked Caulder in a neutral voice

Caulder spoke disdainfully "Fat Gord seemed to think you were the only ones who’d turn out to help him back to the dormitories Not a surprise, really"

We did not speak after that Sergeant Rufet lifted his eyes to watch us leave but said nothing I wondered if he already knew ourourselves

We stepped out into a cold, persistent rain My cloak had not dried completely frorew heavier with every step I took in the downpour Caulder turned up his collar and hastened ahead of us

I had not been to the infiro there It was a wood-fra, set well away from the classroom structures and busy pathways of the Acadearish yellow by the oil lamps that burned in front of it We followed Caulder up onto a porch that creaked beneath our steps He opened the door without knocking and led us uncere to put off his hat or cloak, he took us through an antechamber to the left where a bored old man dozed at his desk "We’re here for the fat one," Caulder said He did not wait for a response from the orderly He crossed the room briskly to open a second door It led to a corridor, unevenly lit by badly spaced lamps He marched down it, turned into the second door, and even before we reached the threshold, we heard hiht his friends to take him back to Carneston House"