"I'm very sorry," he said, when he rejoined the shivering group, "butI'm afraid we shall have to call this match off. There seems to havebeen a mistake. None of my team are anywhere about. I'm awfully sorry,sir," he added, to Mr Blackburn, "to have given you all this troublefor nothing.""Not at all, Kennedy. We must try another day."Mr Blackburn suspected that something untoward had happened in Kay'sto cause this sudden defection of the first fifteen of the house. Heknew that Kennedy was having a hard time in his new position, and hedid not wish to add to his discomfort by calling for an explanationbefore an audience. It could not be pleasant for Kennedy to feel thathis enemies had scored off him. It was best to preserve a discreetsilence with regard to the whole affair, and leave him to settle itfor himself.
Jimmy Silver was more curious. He took Kennedy off to tea in hisstudy, sat him down in the best chair in front of the fire, andproceeded to urge him to confess everything.
"Now, then, what's it all about?" he asked, briskly, spearing a muffinon the fork and beginning to toast.
"It's no good asking me," said Kennedy. "I suppose it's a put-up jobto make me look a fool. I ought to have known something of this kindwould happen when I saw what they did to my first notice.""What was that?"Kennedy explained.
"This is getting thrilling," said Jimmy. "Just pass that plate.
Thanks. What are you going to do about it?""I don't know. What would you do?""My dear chap, I'd first find out who was at the bottom of it--there'sbound to be one man who started the whole thing--and I'd make it myaim in life to give him the warmest ten minutes he'd ever had.""That sounds all right. But how would you set about it?""Why, touch him up, of course. What else would you do? Before thewhole house, too.""Supposing he wouldn't be touched up?""Wouldn't _be!_ He'd have to.""You don't know Kay's, Jimmy. You're thinking what you'd do if thishad happened in Blackburn's. The two things aren't the same. Here theman would probably take it like a lamb. The feeling of the house wouldbe against him. He'd find nobody to back him up. That's becauseBlackburn's is a decent house instead of being a sink like Kay's. If Itried the touching-up before the whole house game with our chaps, theman would probably reply by going for me, assisted by the wholestrength of the company.""Well, dash it all then, all you've got to do is to call a prefects'
meeting, and he'll get ten times worse beans from them than he'd havegot from you. It's simple."Kennedy stared into the fire pensively.
"I don't know," he said. "I bar that prefects' meeting business. Italways seems rather feeble to me, lugging in a lot of chaps to helpsettle some one you can't manage yourself. I want to carry this jobthrough on my own.""Then you'd better scrap with the man.""I think I will."Silver stared.
"Don't be an ass," he said. "I was only rotting. Youcan't go fighting all over the shop as if you were a fag. You'd loseyour prefect's cap if it came out.""I could wear my topper," said Kennedy, with a grin. "You see," headded, "I've not much choice. I must do something. If I took no noticeof this business there'd be no holding the house. I should be ragged todeath. It's no good talking about it. Personally, I should prefertouching the chap up to fighting him, and I shall try it on. But he'snot likely to meet me half-way. And if he doesn't there'll be aninteresting turn-up, and you shall hold the watch. I'll send a kidround to fetch you when things look like starting. I must go now tointerview my missing men. So long. Mind you slip round directly I sendfor you.""Wait a second. Don't be in such a beastly hurry. Who's the chapyou're going to fight?""I don't know yet. Walton, I should think. But I don't know.""Walton! By Jove, it'll be worth seeing, anyhow, if we _are_ bothsacked for it when the Old Man finds out."Kennedy returned to his study and changed his football boots for apair of gymnasium shoes. For the job he had in hand it was necessarythat he should move quickly, and football boots are a nuisance on aboard floor. When he had changed, he called Spencer.
"Go down to the senior dayroom," he said, "and tell MacPherson I wantto see him."MacPherson was a long, weak-looking youth. He had been put down toplay for the house that day, and had not appeared.
"MacPherson!" said the fag, in a tone of astonishment, "not Walton?"He had been looking forward to the meeting between Kennedy and hisancient foe, and to have a miserable being like MacPherson offered asa substitute disgusted him.
"If you have no objection," said Kennedy, politely, "I may want you tofetch Walton later on."Spencer vanished, hopeful once more.
"Come in, MacPherson," said Kennedy, on the arrival of the long one;"shut the door."MacPherson did so, feeling as if he were paying a visit to thedentist. As long as there had been others with him in this affair hehad looked on it as a splendid idea. But to be singled out like thiswas quite a different thing.
"Now," said Kennedy, "Why weren't you on the field this afternoon?""I--er--I was kept in.""How long?""Oh--er--till about five.""What do you call about five?""About twenty-five to," he replied, despondently.
"Now look here," said Kennedy, briskly, "I'm just going to explain toyou exactly how I stand in this business, so you'd better attend. Ididn't ask to be made head of this sewage depot. If I could have hadany choice, I wouldn't have touched a Kayite with a barge-pole. Butsince I am head, I'm going to be it, and the sooner you and yoursenior dayroom crew realise it the better. This sort of thing isn'tgoing on. I want to know now who it was put up this job. You wouldn'thave the cheek to start a thing like this yourself. Who was it?""Well--er--""You'd better say, and be quick, too. I can't wait. Whoever it was. Ishan't tell him you told me. And I shan't tell Kay. So now you can goahead. Who was it?""Well--er--Walton.""I thought so. Now you can get out. If you see Spencer, send him here."Spencer, curiously enough, was just outside the door. So close to it,indeed, that he almost tumbled in when MacPherson opened it.
"Go and fetch Walton," said Kennedy.
Spencer dashed off delightedly, and in a couple of minutes Waltonappeared. He walked in with an air of subdued defiance, and slammedthe door.
"Don't bang the door like that," said Kennedy. "Why didn't you turnout today?""I was kept in.""Couldn't you get out in time to play?""No.""When did you get out?""Six.""Not before?""I said six.""Then how did you manage to go down town--without leave, by the way,but that's a detail--at half-past five?""All right," said Walton; "better call me a liar.""Good suggestion," said Kennedy, cheerfully; "I will.""It's all very well," said Walton. "You know jolly well you can sayanything you like. I can't do anything to you. You'd have me up beforethe prefects.""Not a bit of it. This is a private affair between ourselves. I'm notgoing to drag the prefects into it. You seem to want to make thishouse worse than it is. I want to make it more or less decent. Wecan't both have what we want."There was a pause.
"When would it be convenient for you to be touched up before the wholehouse?" inquired Kennedy, pleasantly.
"What?""Well, you see, it seems the only thing. I must take it out of someone for this house-match business, and you started it. Will tonightsuit you, after supper?""You'll get it hot if you try to touch me.""We'll see.""You'd funk taking me on in a scrap," said Walton.
"Would I? As a matter of fact, a scrap would suit me just as well.
Better. Are you ready now?""Quite, thanks," sneered Walton. "I've knocked you out before, andI'll do it again.""Oh, then it was you that night at camp? I thought so. I spotted yourstyle. Hitting a chap when he wasn't ready, you know, and so on. Now,if you'll wait a minute, I'll send across to Blackburn's for Silver. Itold him I should probably want him as a time-keeper tonight.""What do you want with Silver. Why won't Perry do?""Thanks, I'm afraid Perry's time-keeping wouldn't be impartial enough.
Silver, I think, if you don't mind."Spencer was summoned once more, and despatched to Blackburn's. Hereturned with Jimmy.
"Come in, Jimmy," said Kennedy. "Run away, Spencer. Walton and I arejust going to settle a point of order which has arisen, Jimmy. Willyou hold the watch? We ought just to have time before tea.""Where?" asked Silver.
"My dormitory would be the best place. We can move the beds. I'll goand get the keys."Kennedy's dormitory was the largest in the house. After the beds hadbeen moved back, there was a space in the middle of fifteen feet oneway, and twelve the other--not a large ring, but large enough for twofighters who meant business.
Walton took off his coat, waistcoat, and shirt. Kennedy, who was stillin football clothes, removed his blazer.
"Half a second," said Jimmy Silver--"what length rounds?""Two minutes?" said Kennedy to Walton.
"All right," growled Walton.
"Two minutes, then, and half a minute in between.""Are you both ready?" asked Jimmy, from his seat on the chest ofdrawers.
Kennedy and Walton advanced into the middle of the impromptu ring.
There was dead silence for a moment.
"Time!" said Jimmy Silver.
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