Reaching the station, Locke proposed to Guy to walk to the school.

“It is only half a mile,” he said, “and it will be a pleasure to me to take a leisurely¹ stroll over the road that was once so familiar to me.”

“I am quite willing,” said Guy. “It is a charming morning, and the country is beautiful.”

“More so than America?”

“I must confess,” said Guy, “that I know of no landscape in America that equals the charm of an English village.”

It was a bright, sunshiny day. The hedge-rows were a dark green. They passed a church overgrown with ivy², and the air was perfumed by sweet flowers.

“How often I have been over this road,” said August Locke.{115}

“Did you enjoy your schooldays, Mr. Locke?”

“I should have done so if we had had a better teacher. Dr. Musgrave’s tyranny spoiled all.”

“Did he abuse you?”

“As much as he dared; but when he went too far my temper got the better of me, and I was ready for anything. I think he knew that, for he did not treat me as badly as some of his pupils who were more timid. How are your American schools?”

“No doubt we have some tyrannical teachers, but the one whose school I attended was a gentleman. He was firm and yet gentle, and all we boys respected and liked him.”

“With such a teacher as you describe Milton School would be a paradise.”

“I don’t see how Dr. Musgrave can retain his position. Does he own the school?”

“No; he is employed by the directors. Most of them live at a distance, and know nothing of his administration. If complaints were made to them they would pay no attention to them. They would take the ground that there is a natural antagonism³ between pupils and teachers.”

“So the poor boys have little hope of having their wrongs redressed⁴?”

“You are about right.”{116}

The distance between the station and the school was so short that by the time their conversation was over they had nearly reached the gate that led into the school-ground.

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