Torrington's would just ruin the school.
That's why we want to get rid of him, don't you see?'

'No, I don't,' said Florence, indignantly; 'and Taylor and the rest
are a set of mean cads!' The expression was not very elegant or
ladylike; but she had learned it from her brother, and knew he would
feel the reproach conveyed by this word more surely than by anything
else she could say.

It stung him into a fierce passion of wrath. 'What do girls know about
boys' schools and boys' ways?' he demanded.

'I know what you have told me about Taylor and the rest, and I say
they are not gentlemen, but a set of mean cads.' She was careful not
to include Leonard in this scathing denunciation, for she added, 'I
should not like to think my brother would act like that.'

'Oh, well, Duffy, you see you are a girl, and can't be expected to
know everything; but I did tell Taylor to-day that I thought we might
leave the beggar alone, and let him out of Coventry now.'

'If I was the new boy, I would send you there, and see how you liked
it. What are you going to do?' she asked.

'That's just it--just what I wanted to talk to you about. The fellows
say it is all the pater's doings that Howard has been sent to
Torrington's, and----'

Florence clapped her hands. 'Dear old daddy!' she said. 'He knew what
Torrington's wanted. Now go on,' she added.

'It's no good when you interrupt like that. I wanted to tell you what
the fellows are saying; and now if I do, you'll just go and peach
about the whole thing.'

'Now, Len, did I ever peach about anything you told me? Haven't we
always been fair and square to each other?' expostulated his sister,
who felt herself insulted by such a charge.

'Yes, you always have been pretty fair for a girl,' admitted her
brother, 'and I hope you'll remember that mum must be the word still.
And mind, if you hear about this, you don't know anything, but just
tell the pater to ask me about it. I don't want you to go and give
your opinion about the school and the fellows, though Curtis and one
or two more may be a poor lot. The thing is, they feel themselves
insulted by having this scholarship boy sent to Torrington's, and they
want me to speak to the pater about it.'

'Oh, do--do, and let me be there when you tell him,' said Florence,
her eyes dancing with glee at the prospect.

'Don't be a duffer. Do you think I don't know my own daddy well enough
to know that it would be no good going to him with the fel