Chapter 14 A Skirmish

Upon consideration Sheen determined to see Linton about that smallmatter of the boat without delay. After prayers that night he went tohis study.

　　"Can I speak to you for a minute, Linton?" he said.

　　Linton was surprised. He disapproved of this intrusion. When a fellowis being cut by the house, he ought, by all the laws of schooletiquette, to behave as such, and not speak till he is spoken to.

　　"What do you want?" asked Linton.

　　"I shan't keep you long. Do you think you could put away that book fora minute, and listen?"Linton hesitated, then shut the book.

　　"Hurry up, then," he said.

　　"I was going to," said Sheen. "I simply came in to tell you that I knowperfectly well who sunk my boat this afternoon."He felt at once that he had now got Linton's undivided attention.

　　"Your boat!" said Linton. "You don't mean to say that was yours! Whaton earth were you doing at the place?""I don't think that's any business of yours, is it, Linton?""How did you get back?""I don't think that's any business of yours, either. I daresay you'redisappointed, but I did manage to get back. In time for lock-up, too.""But I don't understand. Do you mean to say that that was your boat wetook?""Sunk," corrected Sheen.

　　"Don't be a fool, Sheen. What the dickens should we want to sink yourboat for? What happened was this. Albert--you remember Albert?--followedus up to the inn, and smashed our boat while we were having tea. Whenwe got out and found it sunk, we bagged the only other one we couldsee. We hadn't a notion it was yours. We thought it belonged to somefisherman chap.""Then you didn't sink my boat?""Of course we didn't. What do you take us for?""Sorry," said Sheen. "I thought it was a queer thing for you to havedone. I'm glad it wasn't you. Good night.""But look here," said Linton, "don't go. It must have landed you in afrightful hole, didn't it?""A little. But it doesn't matter. Good night.""But half a second, Sheen--"Sheen had disappeared.

　　Linton sat on till lights were turned off, ruminating. He had a verytender conscience where other members of the school were concerned,though it was tougher as regarded masters; and he was full of remorseat the thought of how nearly he had got Sheen into trouble by borrowinghis boat that afternoon. It seemed to him that it was his duty to makeit up to him in some way.

　　It was characteristic of Linton that the episode did not, in any way,alter his attitude towards Sheen. Another boy in a similar positionmight have become effusively friendly. Linton looked on the affair in acalm, judicial spirit. He had done Sheen a bad turn, but that was noreason why he should fling himself on his neck and swear eternalfriendship. His demeanour on the occasions when they came in contactwith each other remained the same. He did not speak to him, and he didnot seem to see him. But all the while he was remembering that somehowor other he must do him a good turn of some sort, by way of levellingthings up again. When that good turn had been done, he might dismisshim from his thoughts altogether.

　　Sheen, for his part, made no attempt to trade on the matter of theboat. He seemed as little anxious to be friendly with Linton as Lintonwas to be friendly with him. For this Linton was grateful, andcontinued to keep his eyes open in the hope of finding some opportunityof squaring up matters between them.

　　His chance was not long in coming. The feeling in the house againstSheen, caused by the story of his encounter with Attell, had notdiminished. Stanning had fostered it in various little ways. It was notdifficult. When a house of the standing in the school which Seymour'spossessed exhibits a weak spot, the rest of the school do not require agreat deal of encouragement to go on prodding that weak spot. In short,the school rotted Seymour's about Sheen, and Seymour's ragedimpotently. Fags of other houses expended much crude satire onSeymour's fags, and even the seniors of the house came in for theirshare of the baiting. Most of the houses at Wrykyn were jealous ofSeymour's, and this struck them as an admirable opportunity of gettingsomething of their own back.

　　One afternoon, not long after Sheen's conversation with Linton,Stanning came into Seymour's senior day-room and sat down on the table.

　　The senior day-room objected to members of other houses coming andsitting on their table as if they had bought that rickety piece offurniture; but Stanning's reputation as a bruiser kept their resentmentwithin bounds.

　　"Hullo, you chaps," said Stanning.

　　The members of the senior day-room made no reply, but continued, as MrKipling has it, to persecute their vocations. Most of them werebrewing. They went on brewing with the earnest concentration of_chefs_.

　　"You're a cheery lot," said Stanning. "But I don't wonder you've gotthe hump. I should be a bit sick if we'd got a skunk like that in ourhouse. Heard the latest?"Some lunatic said, "No. What?" thereby delivering the day-room boundinto the hands of the enemy.

　　"Sheen's apologised to Attell."There was a sensation in the senior day-room, as Stanning had expected.

　　He knew his men. He was perfectly aware that any story which centredround Sheen's cowardice would be believed by them, so he had nottroubled to invent a lie which it would be difficult to disprove. Heknew that in the present state of feeling in the house Sheen would notbe given a hearing.

　　"No!" shouted the senior day-room.

　　This was the last straw. The fellow seemed to go out of his way tolower the prestige of the house.

　　"Fact," said Stanning. "I thought you knew."He continued to sit on the table, swinging his legs, while the fullhorror of his story sunk into the senior day-room mind.

　　"I wonder you don't do something about it. Why don't you touch him up?

　　He's not a prefect."But they were not prepared to go to that length. The senior day-roomhad a great respect both for Drummond's word and his skill with hishands. He had said he would slay any one who touched Sheen, and theywere of opinion that he would do it.

　　"He isn't in," said one of the brewers, looking up from histoasting-fork. "His study door was open when I passed.""I say, why not rag his study?" suggested another thickly, through amouthful of toast.

　　Stanning smiled.

　　"Good idea," he said.

　　It struck him that some small upheaval of Sheen's study furniture,coupled with the burning of one or two books, might check to someextent that student's work for the Gotford. And if Sheen could bestopped working for the Gotford, he, Stanning, would romp home. In thematter of brilliance there was no comparison between them. It wasSheen's painful habit of work which made him dangerous.

　　Linton had been listening to this conversation in silence. He had cometo the senior day-room to borrow a book. He now slipped out, and madehis way to Drummond's study.

　　Drummond was in. Linton proceeded to business.

　　"I say, Drummond.""Hullo?""That man Stanning has come in. He's getting the senior day-room to ragSheen's study.""What!"Linton repeated his statement.

　　"Does the man think he owns the house?" said Drummond. "Where is he?""Coming up now. I hear them. What are you going to do? Stop them?""What do you think? Of course I am. I'm not going to have any ofAppleby's crew coming into Seymour's and ragging studies.""This ought to be worth seeing," said Linton. "Look on me as 'Charles,his friend'. I'll help if you want me, but it's your scene."Drummond opened his door just as Stanning and his myrmidons werepassing it.

　　"Hullo, Stanning," he said.

　　Stanning turned. The punitive expedition stopped.

　　"Do you want anything?" inquired Drummond politely.

　　The members of the senior day-room who were with Stanning rallied round,silent and interested. This dramatic situation appealed to them. Theyhad a passion for rows, and this looked distinctly promising.

　　There was a pause. Stanning looked carefully at Drummond. Drummondlooked carefully at Stanning.

　　"I was going to see Sheen," said Stanning at length.

　　"He isn't in.""Oh!"Another pause.

　　"Was it anything special?" inquired Drummond pleasantly.

　　The expedition edged a little forward.

　　"No. Oh, no. Nothing special," said Stanning.

　　The expedition looked disappointed.

　　"Any message I can give him?" asked Drummond.

　　"No, thanks," said Stanning.

　　"Sure?""Quite, thanks.""I don't think it's worth while your waiting. He may not be in for sometime.""No, perhaps not. Thanks. So long.""So long."Stanning turned on his heel, and walked away down the passage. Drummondwent back into his study, and shut the door.

　　The expedition, deprived of its commander-in-chief, paused irresolutelyoutside. Then it followed its leader's example.

　　There was peace in the passage.