"I wish you chaps would talk of something else," grumbled Kirdy Wook.

"I came down here to study."

"So did I," said Aries. He looked down at his books with disfavor.

"This stuff is dry as dog bone. Uther, you're a mathematical genius;

work out these problems for me! They're due tomorrow, and I've only just started."

Uther smilingly shook his head.

"I refuse to start down a long, futile road. Face the facts, Aries. To pass the course, you must be able to solve such problems."

Aries spoke in a voice of reproach: "Is this the brave Grand Pouncer, Sage of the Pride, who dispenses such bleak mercy to a pack member with a sore paw?"

"I am the Grand Pouncer and a roaring true Bold Lion! If I solved your problems tonight, tomorrow you would stare even more blankly at the next set. In the end I would drudge through all your work until the examination, which you would fail, with gratitude for no one, least of all me."

Shugart Veder said: "I thought you were working with a tutor."

Aries grunted.

"He was inept in every respect! First, he tried to put me through a lot of meaningless drills:

elementary stuff! What I needed was a clear and easy way to solve the problems, and all he would say was: "In due course!" and "First things first!" Finally I told him either to teach me properly or to stand aside for someone who could."

"Those were strong words! What did he say?"

"Nothing much. He knew I'd caught him out fair and square, so he just gave a hollow laugh and walked away. Curious chap."

"So who worked your last problem-set, when the tutor refused to do so?"

Kirdy Wook murmured: "Could it have been Spanchetta, noblest of lion mothers?"

Aries scowled blackly and slammed the book shut.

"She might have given me a hint or two. What of it?"

"Face facts, Aries! Spanchetta can't take the examination for you."

"Bah!" muttered Aries.

"You sound like my tutor." He pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.

"I'm not worried. I know how to deal with these so-called facts, if the need arises!"

All around the table faces looked blankly at Aries. Uther Offaw said coldly: "I don't understand what you are saying.

Do you care to explain?"

"Certainly I'll explain, if you're too dense to catch on for yourself. Changes are coming around here! Some will be pushed forward; others will get left behind. I wanted the Bold Lions to be in the lead. Now I don't know. The group is getting worse instead of better. Now do you understand?"

"I do not, but I must say that I don't like the tone of your words."

Aries grinned.

"Don't be such a tame little lap-pussy! Maybe we'll have to vote in a new Grand Pouncer after all! Someone who'll get things properly done." Aries gathered his books together.

"I'm leaving; there are things I'd rather be doing elsewhere."

Aries departed the Old Arbor, leaving behind an uncomfortable silence. Shugart finally said: "Not a nice scene, at all. I can't imagine what he's talking about."

"Whatever it is, I don't like it," said Uther in a troubled voice.

"It's downright sinister."

Cloyd Veder said: "When he gets into this kind of mood he's unpredictable ... I wonder what he had in mind when he said he wanted the Bold Lions in the lead."

Kirdy Wook drained his goblet and collected his books.

"Aries is just full of big talk."

"And what does he mean 'the group is getting worse'? That's not a proper thing to say."

Kirdy rose to his feet.

"He can't get used to seeing Glawen in the group ... Where is Glawen? He was here the last time I looked."

Kiper said: "He left a minute ago--slipped away like a shadow, just after Aries went. He's another odd one."

Kirdy said: "That applies more or less to all of us... I'll be getting along too."

"And I," said Uther.

"The meeting, such as it was, is adjourned."

Glawen unobtrusively departed the Old Arbor and went out into Wansey Way, where he paused to look and listen ... He heard only a muffled murmur of voices from the Old Arbor.

The Quadrangle lay

quiet and empty in the starlight. Wansey Way went off toward the | beach between patches of dappled starlight and heavy shade. But nowhere could be seen the dark moving shape which might indicate the present location of Aries: a fact which suddenly had become a matter of grave importance.

Where, then, was Aries? At the meeting he had seemed edgy and preoccupied, as if something were gnawing at his mind.

Glawen thought that he might be able to guess what was troubling Aries.

Where was he now?

The first and obvious place to look was Clattuc House.