of the school here once."

"Which makes it a blacker shame than ever," said Bourne, wrathfully.

"I've inquired casually of the Fifth, and it seems our friend once
distinguished himself in the gym. Lost his temper--as _per
recipe_--and Hodgson had to knock him down before he could see that
we put on the gloves here for a little healthy exercise, and the pleasure
of lifting some of the public schools championships. He, however,
apologized to Hodgson, but I don't think he'll do the honourable here."

"Then, the chief attraction of the beauty is its temper?"

"Or want of it."

"Who is he, anyhow?"

"Yorkshire people, I believe. Own half a town and no end of coin. Been to
school in France and Germany, and consequently came here rather late. I
know his head-piece Is all right, and I imagine his amiability is only a
little foreign blood working its way out. He will be with us in the Sixth
at Christmas."

"Delightful prospect. What I want to know is--how are we to settle this
business as far as he is concerned? Ought Moore to know?"

"I don't think so. Never trouble Corker more than you can help, old man.
That's a tip for you when I'm gone. Besides, masters generally mishandle
affairs of this sort. I rather fancy I'll put it to Aspinall when he pulls
through."

"Do. One thing, though, is pretty certain. He'll never get his cap as long
as I'm captain of the footer eleven. I'd rather come out of it myself."

"Of course. I see there's no help for that, but, all the same, it will
make complications. What a pity he _can_ play!"

"It is, for he is a back out of a thousand."

Bourne's voice had in it a ring of genuine regret, and whilst I could
almost have smiled at his unaffectedly tragic tone, I could see the vista
which his resolution opened up. I heard the school shouting at Bourne to
let the finest player out of the eleven in, and all the shouting would be
across "seas of misunderstanding." I know Bourne saw the difficulties
himself, and he left my study soon after with a rather anxious look on his
face. Personally I determined not to think about the matter until I had
seen Aspinall. From the very first I had never expected any help from
Acton. There was something about the whole of his bearing in the caddish
business that told me plainly that we would have to treat him, not as a
fellow who had been betrayed to a vile action by a beastly temper and was
bitterly sorry for it, but as a fellow who hated us for findin