Chapter 13. Busted

"Some of you boys have been asking about natural logarithms?" said Br Kieran, "in which case I can advance an exercise we first intended to hold in summer. It's a real fun exercise, with a trip out."
The class was all agog
. "The question is, what is better, broadleaf forest or introduced conifers."
"Broadleaf" said Cecilia.
"You say that instantly" said Br Kieran, "so give us the spiel."
"Broadleaf forest is the native woodland type to the British Isles, and supports a greater variety of animal and insect life than non-native conifers, which are planted for their commercial timber value."
"So what do we do in science?" said Br Kieran, "test hypotheses. And you've got a hypothesis there. So instead of just reading about it, we're going to test it. Now how would we do that?"
"Go to the wood and count the insects" said Adam.
"Exactly" said Br Kieran, "and that's what we're going to do. We'll set down insect traps in the broadleafed forest and in the conifer plantation, and see whether we catch a greater variety of insects. Now suppose the results come back like this." he wrote on the whiteboard.

Broadleaf Conifer
Greenfly 80 190
Bluebottles 50 3
Moths 40 1
Butterflies 30 1
Ladybirds 0 1
Ground beetles 0 1
Spiders 0 1
Midges 0 1
Little flies 0 1

"Which of those is more diverse?"
"The conifer" said Cecilia, "because it's got more species in it."
"The broadleaf" said Abagail, "because it's more balanced."
"That doesn't matter" said Cecilia.
"Does", said Abagail, "can't you see that your conifer forest effectively supports only greenfly?"
"It's got a ladybird. Yours doesn't have any ladybirds at all." said Cecilia.
"Well personally I prefer butterflies" said Abagail, "and you've only got one as opposed to thirty."
"Maybe they're the same?" said blonde Mary.
"We need a metric" said Albert.
"Exactly" said Br Kieran, "we need a metric. And what we are going to use is the Shannon biodiversity index. The idea is to balance richness with number of species. And the way we do it is this." He wrote a big number like a capital E on the board. "Anyone know what that symbol means?"
No-one did.
"It means sum. And what do is we first divide through each count by the total number of insects, to get a number in the range 0 to 1. Call that p for each species. Then we multiply by the natural logarithm of p. All the numbers are in the range 0 to 1, so the logarithms are negative. But we invert the sign. The logarithm of one is zero, so if you have only one species in your set, the Shannon index is zero. The logarithm of zero is minus infinity, so if you have a huge number of species the logarithms go very high. However this is corrected because the number of observations, p, is very small. So the index balances evenness with numbers of species."
"So all we need is to calculate the Shannon index for the two examples shown, and we will see whether Cecilia or Abbey is right."
James was right to it with his calculator.
"1.39 versus 0.266" he said, "so Abbey was right."
There was a bit of a cheer.
"So, we're going to do this in late autumn, instead of summer, and there'll be fewer insects about. And in fact it is interesting for me as well, because I already know what the answer is for summer. We go to the forest, and split into two groups, one for the conifers and one from the broadleaf wood. Then we set down insect traps, leave them for as long as possible, and come back and collect them at dusk. The we take the insects back to the lab, assign them to species, which is the hard part, and calculate the Shannon index for the two types. Sound good?"
Everyone agree that it was a good idea.
"We'll have two prefects to help. During the spare time between setting the traps and collecting them they'll take you on a nature trail round the forest."

"This is our chance" said Adam to Abagail, "we can go into the forest, and hunt a deer. We've just got to think of a way of losing those prefects."
"What will you catch the deer with?" asked Abagail.
"The bows, silly, why did you think we made them?" said Adam.
"Duh" said Abagail, "then blonde Mary, short Mary and Mandy are ruled out. Good riddance, I would say."
"Oh, no" said Adam, "I want everyone cut in on this."
"You don't know how bad things are" said Abagail, "honestly, Cecilia is the only one I'd trust an inch."
"Because of the drugs?" said Adam.
"Yes Adam, partly because of the drugs. But not only that. It's just silly. Put five girls with totally incompatible personalities into a dorm together and is it any surprise that they fight. Short Mary is getting on my nerves with her spitefulness, and blonde Mary and Mandy ..."
"I know," said Adam, "sell drugs. Which is why Rupert tried to burn them to death. And he'd burn you to death, as well, if you crossed him. Abbey, I don't want you mixed up in this."
"Well I'm not sure about that" said Abagail, "Adam, we've had this discussion so many times. And I've had to defend you. Short Mary thought you went to Fr Abbot about her."
"Surely she realises it was Br Bernard who caught her?" said Adam.
"She just doesn't see sense." said Abagail, "As I said, it's dire in our dorm."
"Mandy gets the drugs from a boat that calls in at the old jetty, doesn't she?" said Adam.
"I'm not sure about that" said Abagail, "she seemed to know when she would get some, though?"
"When?" asked Adam.
"Tomorrow" said Abagail, "at least she said that yesterday, if three O'Clock in the morning is yesterday. So I guess she means today."
"Look" said Adam, "I might have to go to Fr Abbot about this. But I will not sneak. I will tell everybody what I am doing, and why."
"Everyone will hate you, Adam" said Abagail.
"No" said Adam, "you won't, and Albert won't. Sebastian won't if he personally isn't shopped. Cecilia doesn't hate anyone. No-one whose opinion matters will hate me, only the idiots. But I'm not decided what to do yet. Incidentally, did you like the wine?"
"Oh yes," said Abagail, "most revealing."
"OK, so it's agreed. Deer hunt during our trip to count insects. If it's OK to trap a midge then it's OK to trap a deer. They're all biodiversity. And everyone in." said Adam.
"If they're not expelled by the time you're finished" said Abagail.

Adam spent the evening watching the sea for lights. He knew the smuggler's vessel the instant he saw it. He ran to get Albert.
"Mandy's boat is coming with a supply of drugs" he said, "we've got to intercept it."
"Intercept a drug smuggler?" said Albert.
"No, you dope" said Adam, "intercept Mandy, when she comes back with the drugs. Then we can get rid of them."
"She's vicious, you know" said Albert, "remember what she did to Cecilia."
"That's why I need you. There are two of us."
"Why not hold her up with the bows?" asked Albert. "A promise is a promise" said Adam, "but I agree, we need overwhelming force." He went to the utility cell, opened the tin in the chest of drawers, and took out James' knife. He hid it in the sleeve of his blazer. "That should do."
Albert nodded.
The two boys grabbed torches and ran off.
"Careful with the torches" said Adam, "they can see them from the sea. Always point the light towards land. And make sure we don't bump into Mandy."
They made their way to the place where Adam had previously seen Mandy make rendezvous with the boat, and waited. They didn't have long to wait before the boat started flashing.
"That's the signal to Mandy" said Adam. "Are you sure this is safe?" asked Albert, in a whisper, although there was no chance of him being overheard.
"As safe as can be" said Adam, "if we see any smugglers with Mandy, we just stay hidden. But there won't be."

Mandy flashed her torch to give the signal, and the boat flashed back. She went along the old jetty, and waited for it to draw in. Chris, Lionel, and Mike were there.
Chris hugged her. "Good to see you, Mandy" he said, "How are you doing?"
"Fine" said Mandy.
"Your mother is happy" said Chris, "I keep sending her supplies. I've got another letter out for you. You're doing her proud. Anyway, I need three hundred pounds."
"I've only got two hundred" said Mandy.
Chris's eyes narrowed, "And why?"
"There was a fire at the boarding house, and the stash got burned" Mandy half lied.
"I'll handle this" said Mike.
"The drugs were burnt in the fire" said Mandy, "it was real. You can read about it on the Internet. So I can only take 200 worth this time. That's alright, isn't it?"
"We need to keep the business going" said Mike, "I appreciate that sometimes accidents happen and stock has to be sacrificed. So what we'll do, Mandy, is we'll take the two hundred, and lend you a hundred pounds. But I don't want to hear of this again. If you mess up again, Mandy, I'll get Lionel to give you a good beating."
Mandy looked at Lionel, and shuddered.
"But that won't happen, because you're a good girl" said Mike, "Now onto nicer subjects. We've got a new line." He drew a wrap from his pocket, and unwrapped it slightly, to reveal a white powder. "That is cocaine. All the best, most successful people are on it. Except present company, of course. Don't take this yourself, Mandy. The nice thing about it is that it costs ten pounds a wrap, like cannabis, but a wrap is only one line. So it's a rich kid's habit."
"OK, that's all wrapped up" said Chris, "love you and leave you, and take care."
They hugged, and the boat cast away.

Adam saw with satisfaction the big light and the tiny light parting at approximately equal speeds. It meant that Mandy was on her own. They moved to nearer the path, and Adam and Albert waited, crouched behind a gorse bush. They saw the tinkling light of Mandy's torch.
"Now" said Adam, and they jumped her.
"Leave me alone" said Mandy, startled. Albert grabbed her from the front, whilst Adam grabbed her from behind. He took James' knife out and pressed it to her skin.
"If you fight back I will rip your throat out, and I mean that Mandy" he said. Mandy knew that the game was up.
"Take her coat off and search it" said Adam.
Albert rummaged through Mandy's coat in torchlight, and soon located a plastic bag full of foil wraps.
"So what are these, Miss Campbell?" demanded Adam.
Mandy turned white.
"Chuck them into the sea" ordered Adam, and Albert complied, scattering the foil wraps over a high rock that overlooked the dark and swelling ocean. The drugs disappeared, irretrievable.
"Adam, I", they could let Mandy go now, "they weren't mine, they were borrowed. They will kill me for this."
"That's already nearly happened once" said Adam, "Who do you think set fire to your room? You'd have died in that fire if James didn't have more courage than I'll ever have."
Mandy began to cry, pouring her heart out, and all her troubles since her father walked out on her mother when she was a baby.
"Mandy" said Adam, "this is your responsibility. I've got to go to Fr Abbot. Do you understand that? This is too serious for considerations of sneaking to apply."
Compline was already taking place when they returned to the monastery.
"OK, go to Fr Abbot" said Mandy, "let me go to the dorm, to cry some more."
"I think we've got to do it" said Adam to Albert.
"I don't know" said Albert, "It seems a big thing."
"Too big for us to deal with" said Adam.
They had decided to go to Fr Abbot, when they saw Cecilia outside his door.
"I was waiting for you" she said. "look I agree that you've got to go to Fr Abbot about Mandy. But the users are the real culprits, not her. Isn't that what you said, Adam?"
Adam had to admit that this was true. "So all three of us have to go in. But let me handle it, Adam." said Cecilia.

They knocked on the door. Fr Abbot beamed to see them.
"What can I do for you?" he said.
"Well, Fr Abbot" said Cecilia, "all of us have been taking drugs. All except Adam, that is."
"Sit down, please" said Fr Abbot, "we need a long talk. Whiskey, anybody?"
"Adam discovered who was bringing the drugs into the school, which was a first year, and wondered whether he was obliged to give you the name. But he felt that would be unfair, because everyone is taking the drugs and so equally guilty, and it is wrong to single this person out. So we agreed that we three would come and see you together" Cecilia said.
"Children" he said, "we thought that by establishing the school on an island we could establish a sort of separation between it and the wickedness of the world outside. That was completely naive. Almost every boarding school has some sort of drugs problem, and St Tom's is no exception. If there was an easy answer someone would have found it. You can't even keep drugs out of high security prisons, let alone out of schools. I'm sorry, but that's the best I can do."
"We don't need money for anything except a few sweets and stationery" said Adam, "if you took money away you wouldn't have any drugs."
"That's a very pertinent point, Adam" said Fr Abbot, "money is truly at the root of all evil. But you need to think, with that sort of regime, what would that do for independence? Particularly I am thinking of older years. Should parents have to buy train tickets home and post them to the school office?"
"If you get one joint amongst five that's only two pounds each" said Cecilia, "that's about the same as a quarter of sweets. You'd have to keep people very poor for them not to afford that sort of money. But I do want to see an end to drugs at St Tom's. I didn't at first, but now I agree with Adam."
"Everyone seeks God in his own way" said Fr Abbot, "And I'm not here to give you easy answers. But certainly if you feel that drugs are a blind alley, and I'd be inclined to agree with you, you must not be bullied or pressurised into taking them. However we don't give you a choice about your company. That option, of separating yourself from the problem, is taken away."
"So you don't care that some people are selling drugs?" said Cecilia.
"I said we don't give you the option of separating yourself from them" said Fr Abbot, "which normally you will have in adult life. You have to fight it out amongst yourselves, whether the year is to go down a drug path or another path. But if you are convinced that you are right, then truth will always win in the end."
"So we don't have to give you any names" said Cecilia.
"I don't know" said Fr Abbot, "but I can easily guess. And the decision was taken earlier on, much earlier on in fact, that this person has already experienced enough disruption in her life, and therefore not to expel this person. I'd rather not be embarrassed by having her crimes brought to my attention."
"She herself is in danger" said Adam, "she told me that her suppliers would kill her."
"Whatever for?" asked Fr Abbot.
"Because Albert and I grabbed her stash of drugs and threw them into the sea." said Adam.
"Good for you" said Fr Abbot, "Tell her that if she feels any danger, my door is always open. But ultimately she's got to take responsibility for her own life. And drug traffickers aren't always nice people. Shout too, Adam, if anyone threatens you. You have every right to protect yourself."
The children smiled, and sipped their whiskeys.
"What you've got to remember is that drug dealing is a rational crime, and rational people do not commit murder or serious assaults unless they know they can get away with it. And it is difficult to commit an undetectable murder. So don't make it easy for them." said Fr Abbot.
"It's so hard not to join in, that's the problem" said Cecilia, "Cannabis doesn't do anything for me personally. I just want to be one of the crowd."
"Which is maybe why you are popular, Cecilia" said Fr Abbot.
"But surely what she is doing is wrong" said Adam. "Thanks, Adam" said Cecilia.
"I took it, but it wasn't me" said Albert, "Adam was right. I was trying to be someone that I'm not. But I'm not so sure it's wrong for you."
"So you're saying that my true vocation in life is as a pot-head" said Cecilia.
Adam laughed.
"Albert and I are never going to be cool. You and Abbey are, maybe. But I don't want Abbey mixed up with drugs, and if you didn't take them she wouldn't either" he said.
"But then Fr Abbot said I wouldn't be as popular" said Cecilia, "but I see what you're getting at. It's not everything, and I'm not the only person affected by my own use. Which was what you've been trying to say all along, Adam."
Fr Abbot smiled. He allowed them to talk until way into the night, long past official bedtimes.
"So he'd already decided not to expel Mandy" said Albert. "Seems unfair. Whatever she does, she can get away with."
"Then don't anyone tell her" said Cecilia, "Fr Abbot's right. I was here to stop her being expelled myself."
"Why?" said Adam.
"Because" said Cecilia, "just because."
"You just love that girl, don't you?" said Adam. The three grinned at each other, and parted to go off into the blackest night.

The other girls, meanwhile, hadn't got any sleep, waiting anxiously for Cecilia to return.
"I'll be expelled" said Mandy, fretfully.
"I don't care if I am" said blonde Mary, "there are better schools to go to than St Tom's".
"Well not everyone is situated like you" said Abagail, "Anyone knows what is going to happen to us."
"My mother will kill me" said short Mary.
"You're safe" said Mandy, "you've already been found out. What about me?"
"Yes, Mary" said Abagail, "you should have thought about that before letting Mandy take the risk."
"Well it's your brother who got us into this" said blonde Mary. "Look, I tried to make him see sense, but he just wouldn't listen. I don't control his actions just because he's my twin" said Abagail, "We've just got to wait for Cecilia. No point blaming each other."
"It was you who started this drugs nonsense" said short Mary, "I wish I'd never heard of them."
They waited in silence for a while, then went back to fretting. "What exactly did Fr Abbot say to you?" said Abagail to short Mary.
"I've told you," said short Mary, "That to successfully conceal drug usage it is necessary to smoke moderate amounts, outside, and after lights out. Take a punishment run, Miss Walker please. It was all over in about two minutes."
"That was it?" asked Abagail.
"That was it" said short Mary.
"Then maybe we'll just get the same" said Abagail.
"He'll be stricter next time" said Mandy.
"I can't understand it" said blonde Mary, "I think he just wants to leave us in suspense. Why does Adam have to be such an idiot?"

Eventually Cecilia returned to the dorm, long after lights out.
"Well?" said Abagail.
"Talked him out of it" said Cecilia.
"What about me and Mary?" asked Mandy.
"Your name wasn't mentioned, Mandy." said Cecilia.
"But Adam said he'd shop me to Fr Abbot" said Mandy.
"Adam was thinking in a hurry" said Cecilia, "your name was never mentioned. We told him that everyone in first year was smoking drugs, with the exception of Adam. We agreed that everyone was equally guilty - which is what Adam said in his speech - and it wasn't necessary to name names."
"So what's he going to do?" asked Mandy.
"I don't know" said Cecilia, "he was very nice, not shocked at all."
"So what did Adam say?" asked blonde Mary.
"Adam let Albert and me do most of the talking" said Cecilia, "I told him to do that before we went in."
"He'll still find out" said Mandy, "then I'll be expelled."
"No, I wouldn't worry about being expelled, Mandy" said Cecilia, "Fr Abbot is going to keep you here until."
"Until what?"
Cecilia thought. "Until you learn to accept unconditional love, Mandy. He'll keep you here until that happens."
"No-one loves me" said Mandy, "I look out for myself."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Mandy" said Cecilia.
"Oh yes, Cecilia" said Mandy, "I've heard it all before."

Adam and Albert returned to meet a hostile reception from the other three.
"So, what?" said James.
"Whiskey with the boss" said Adam.
"Who gave you the right to sneak on Mandy?" asked James, "And what about us. Do you think we're safe as well?"
"Albert and I intercepted Mandy with a carrier-bag full of drugs" said Adam, "so there was no choice. Look, James, she and blonde Mary were really careless. I said, in public, that I was anti-drug, but even I found out in a few days who was doing the dealing. And for the record, I didn't give Mandy's name to Fr Abbot. He already knew."
"How do we know that?" said James.
"Use a bit of common sense" said Adam, "Short Mary goes into Compline as high as a kite, and Br Bernard bawls her out. So he knows that drugs are amongst the first years. And he knows it won't be short Mary spreading them. So you think he won't try to find out where the drugs are coming from? As I said, Mandy and blonde Mary are careless. Their vocation in life is not as drug dealers."
"Now you're sounding like Fr Abbot" said James.
"I've just spent about two hours chatting with him, and drinking his whiskey. Maybe he's infectious."
"Cecilia and me were in there too" said Albert.
"This sounds like a stitch up" said James.
"It was getting out of hand" said Albert.
"Now it's in the open" said Adam, "I don't know what he will do, but he can't exactly expel a whole year. Everyone is in the same boat now"
"Except you"
"Except me. It had to happen, James, it couldn't go on forever as it was going" said Adam.
"No-one will ever trust you again" said James.
"Mandy will. Cecilia stopped Fr Abbot from expelling her." said Adam.
"That was Cecilia, not you"
"Cecilia would never have gone in to talk to him without me" said Adam, "It's in Mandy's best interests what we've done. This way, she gets to stay on."
"You do have a point, Adam" said Sebastian, "but wouldn't it have been easier just to tell Mandy the game was up, and to shop herself, rather than running with tales to Fr Abbot?"
"She won't do that" said Adam.
"Not a classy enough lady. Not yet, anyway" said Sebastian, "never mind. Adam, you've sneaked on her and you've sneaked on us. We can't allow that.”
“I did not sneak” said Adam.
“Then what is sneaking?” said James, “Tomorrow, Adam, in the ruins.”
“Tomorrow” said Adam, turning white. It was well past lights out, but neither of them got much sleep that night.

"Fifteen, all right Rupert" said Jade, the next day. Rupert was triumphant. His customers were returning, and he even had the hope of new ones, amongst the first years.