His first appearance in his new capacity was naturally a matter of curiosity on every hand; and as he approached the scene of the noise he became aware that almost every occupant of the passage was standing at his door, watching curiously for what was to happen.
He certainly did not look, as he walked nervously down the corridor, the sort of fellow to quell a riot; and any one might have prophesied that he was not likely to come off any better now than he did when he once went on a similar errand to the stronghold of the Limpets.
And yet the weeks that had elapsed since then had not been thrown away on Riddell.

Would the reader like to hear what his thoughts were as he neared the scene of his trial?
"What had I better do?
If I get in a rage I shall only make a fool of myself; if I report them to the doctor I shall be shirking my own work; if I remonstrate mildly and do no more, my chances in Welch's are done for, and these fellows who are on the lookout for my failure will get their crow.

I _must_ get on the right side of these youngsters if I can, so here goes!" With this reflection he reached the door just as the third verse of "Bouncer" commenced, the performers having carefully turned their backs so as to appear wholly unconscious of a visitor.

Verse three referred altogether to the intellectual attainments of the wonderful Bouncer.
"Bouncer was the cock of the school, sir, Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer! And Socrates to him was a fool, sir, Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer! He could cross the `asses' bridge in the dark, And `Hic Haec Hoc' he thought a lark.
And swallowed irregular verbs like a shark, Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!" Before this spirit-stirring recital had reached its climax one or two of the performers had found it impossible to resist a look round to see how the captain took it.

So that the "surprise" at finding him standing there at its conclusion fell rather flat.
Much to the disappointment of the spectators outside, moreover, Riddell shut the door behind him.