CHAPTER III
"LOVEY" McKNIGHT
The dining hall occupied the ground floor of
the rear section of West Hall, a spacious room
of oak beams and rough gray plaster, of paneled
walls and many high windows. On either side,
like soldiers on parade, eight white-draped tables were
spaced. There was, also, a seventeenth table, but this
was in the corner beyond the door that led to Middle
Hall, and, whereas the other tables held twelve persons
each, the seventeenth accommodated only Doctor Wyndham;
Mr. Frost, his assistant; Miss Coles, the secretary;
and Mrs. Flood, Junior School matron. At the
head of each of the eight tables along the farther wall
sat a faculty member; in Wyndham School parlance,
a "fac"; and his surveillance included not only the
board at which he sat but also the one directly across
from it. Seats at tables bearing even numbers were
much sought after since those were the ones lacking,
as one might say, local government. Clif, though,
wasn't aware of good fortune when he found himself
seated at Table 12; beyond, that is, the good fortune
of being provided a place where food was supplied.
There was nothing especially remarkable about any of his table companions, he decided after furtive study. Many of the eleven were of about his own age; three
