Mr Spence was a master with a great deal of sympathy and a highlydeveloped sense of duty. It was the combination of these two qualitieswhich made it so difficult for him to determine on a suitable course ofaction in relation to Sheen's out-of-bounds exploits. As a privateindividual he had nothing but admiration for the sporting way in whichSheen had fought his up-hill fight. He felt that he himself in similarcircumstances would have broken any number of school rules. But, as amaster, it was his duty, he considered, to report him. If a masterignored a breach of rules in one case, with which he happened tosympathise, he would in common fairness be compelled to overlook asimilar breach of rules in other cases, even if he did not sympathisewith them. In which event he would be of small use as a master.

　　On the other hand, Sheen's case was so exceptional that he might verywell compromise to a certain extent between the claims of sympathy andthose of duty. If he were to go to the headmaster and state baldly thatSheen had been in the habit for the last half-term of visiting anup-river public-house, the headmaster would get an entirely wrong ideaof the matter, and suspect all sorts of things which had no existencein fact. When a boy is accused of frequenting a public-house, thehead-magisterial mind leaps naturally to Stale Fumes and the DrunkenStagger.

　　So Mr Spence decided on a compromise. He sent for Sheen, and havingcongratulated him warmly on his victory in the Light-Weights, proceededas follows:

　　"You have given me to understand, Sheen, that you were taught boxing byBevan?""Yes, sir.""At the 'Blue Boar'?""Yes, sir.""This puts me in a rather difficult position, Sheen. Much as I dislikedoing it, I am afraid I shall have to report this matter to theheadmaster."Sheen said he supposed so. He saw Mr Spence's point.

　　"But I shall not mention the 'Blue Boar'. If I did, the headmastermight get quite the wrong impression. He would not understand all thecircumstances. So I shall simply mention that you broke bounds by goingup the river. I shall tell him the whole story, you understand, andit's quite possible that you will hear no more of the affair. I'm sureI hope so. But you understand my position?""Yes, sir.""That's all, then, Sheen. Oh, by the way, you wouldn't care for a gameof fives before breakfast tomorrow, I suppose?""I should like it, sir.""Not too stiff?""No, sir.""Very well, then. I'll be there by a quarter-past seven."* * * * *Jack Bruce was waiting to see the headmaster in his study at the end ofafternoon school.

　　"Well, Bruce," said the headmaster, coming into the room and layingdown some books on the table, "do you want to speak to me? Will yougive your father my congratulations on his victory. I shall be writingto him tonight. I see from the paper that the polling was very even.

　　Apparently one or two voters arrived at the last moment and turned thescale.""Yes, sir.""It is a most gratifying result. I am sure that, apart from ourpolitical views, we should all have been disappointed if your fatherhad not won. Please congratulate him sincerely.""Yes, sir.""Well, Bruce, and what was it that you wished to see me about?"Bruce was about to reply when the door opened, and Mr Spence came in.

　　"One moment, Bruce," said the headmaster. "Yes, Spence?"Mr Spence made his report clearly and concisely. Bruce listened withinterest. He thought it hardly playing the game for the gymnasiummaster to hand Sheen over to be executed at the very moment when theschool was shaking hands with itself over the one decent thing that hadbeen done for it in the course of the athletic year; but he toldhimself philosophically that he supposed masters had to do thesethings. Then he noticed with some surprise that Mr Spence was puttingthe matter in a very favourable light for the accused. He was avoidingwith some care any mention of the "Blue Boar". When he had occasion torefer to the scene of Sheen's training, he mentioned it vaguely as ahouse.

　　"This man Bevan, who is an excellent fellow and a personal friend of myown, has a house some way up the river."Of course a public-house _is_ a house.

　　"Up the river," said the headmaster meditatively.

　　It seemed that that was all that w............