"What" shouted Kennedy.

　　He sprang to his feet as if he had had an electric shock.

　　Jimmy Silver, having satisfied his passion for the dramatic by theabruptness with which he had exploded his mine, now felt himself atliberty to be sympathetic.

　　"It's quite true," he said. "And that's just how I felt when Blackburntold me. Blackburn's as sick as anything. Naturally he doesn't see thepoint of handing you over to Kay. But the Old Man insisted, so hecaved in. He wanted to see you as soon as you arrived. You'd better gonow. I'll finish your packing."This was noble of Jimmy, for of all the duties of life he loathedpacking most.

　　"Thanks awfully," said Kennedy, "but don't you bother. I'll do it whenI get back. But what's it all about? What made Kay want a man? Whywon't Fenn do? And why me?""Well, it's easy to see why they chose you. They reflected that you'dhad the advantage of being in Blackburn's with me, and seeing how ahouse really should be run. Kay wants a head for his house. Off hegoes to the Old Man. 'Look here,' he says, 'I want somebody shuntedinto my happy home, or it'll bust up. And it's no good trying to putme off with an inferior article, because I won't have it. It must besomebody who's been trained from youth up by Silver.' 'Then,' says theOld Man, reflectively, 'you can't do better than take Kennedy. Ihappen to know that Silver has spent years in showing him the straightand narrow path. You take Kennedy.' 'All right,' says Kay; 'I alwaysthought Kennedy a bit of an ass myself, but if he's studied underSilver he ought to know how to manage a house. I'll take him. Adviseour Mr Blackburn to that effect, and ask him to deliver the goods athis earliest convenience. Adoo, mess-mate, adoo!' And there youare--that's how it was.""But what's wrong with Fenn?""My dear chap! Remember last term. Didn't Fenn have a regular scrapwith Kay, and get shoved into extra for it? And didn't he wreck theconcert in the most sportsmanlike way with that encore of his? Thinkthe Old Man is going to take that grinning? Not much! Fenn made aripping fifty against Kent in the holidays--I saw him do it--but theydon't count that. It's a wonder they didn't ask him to leave. Ofcourse, I think it's jolly rough on Fenn, but I don't see that you canblame them. Not the Old Man, at any rate. He couldn't do anythingelse. It's all Kay's fault that all this has happened, of course. I'mawfully sorry for you having to go into that beastly hole, but fromKay's point of view it's a jolly sound move. You may reform theplace.""I doubt it.""So do I--very much. I didn't say you would--I said you might. Iwonder if Kay means to give you a free hand. It all depends on that.""Yes. If he's going to interfere with me as he used to with Fenn,he'll want to bring in another head to improve on me.""Rather a good idea, that," said Jimmy Silver, laughing, as he alwaysdid when any humorous possibilities suggested themselves to him. "Ifhe brings in somebody to improve on you, and then somebody else toimprove on him, and then another chap to improve on him, he ought tohave a decent house in half-a-dozen years or so.""The worst of it is," said Kennedy, "that I've got to go to Kay's as asort of rival to Fenn. I shouldn't mind so much if it wasn't for that.

　　I wonder how he'll take it! Do you think he knows about it yet? Hedidn't enjoy being head, but that's no reason why he shouldn't cut uprough at being shoved back to second prefect. It's a beastlysituation.""Beastly," agreed Jimmy Silver. "Look here," he added, after a pause,"there's no reason, you know, why this should make any difference. Tous, I mean. What I mean to say is, I don't see why we shouldn't seeeach other just as often, and so on, simply because you are in anotherhouse, and all that sort of thing. You know what I mean."He spoke shamefacedly, as was his habit whenever he was serious. Heliked Kennedy better than anyone he knew, and hated to show hisfeelings. Anything remotely connected with sentiment made himuncomfortable.

　　"Of course," said Kennedy, awkwardly.

　　"You'll want a refuge," said Silver, in his normal manner, "now thatyou're going to see wild life in Kay's. Don't forget that I'm alwaysat home in my study in the afternoons--admission on presentation of avisiting-card.""All right," said Kennedy, "I'll remember. I suppose I'd better go andsee Blackburn now."Mr Blackburn was in his study. He was obviously disgusted andirritated by what had happened. Loyalty to the headmaster, and anappreciation of his position as a member of the staff led him to tryand conceal his feelings as much as possible in his interview withKennedy, but the latter understood as plainly as if his house-masterhad burst into a flow of abuse and complaint. There had always been anexcellent understanding--indeed, a friendship--between Kennedy and MrBlackburn, and the master was just as sorry to lose his second prefectas the latter was to go.

　　"Well, Kennedy," he said, pleasantly. "I hope you had a good time inthe holidays. I suppose Silver has told you the melancholy news--thatyou are to desert us this term? It is a great pity. We shall all bevery sorry to lose you. I don't look forward to seeing you bowl us allout in the house-matches next summer," he added, with a smile, "thoughwe shall expect a few full-pitches to leg, for the sake of old times."He meant well, but the picture he conjured up almost made Kennedybreak down. Nothing up to the present had made him realise thecompleteness of his exile so keenly as this remark of Mr Blackburn'sabout his bowling against the side for which he had taken so manywickets in the past. It was a painful thought.

　　"I am afraid you won't have quite such a pleasant time in Mr Kay's asyou have had here," resumed............