"Shut up this rot," said Wilson. "Let's try a run round the Bender--last fellow stands tea at Hoopers." "Carried, _nem. con_.," said Grim, who was pretty speedy. And the reunited half-dozen cronies ran the three miles out and ditto home, Wilson subsequently standing tea, for, as he pathetically explained, "I was overhauling Rogers hand over hand when I slipped my shoe, else he'd have had to fork out." Thus Jack became again for a while the common or garden variety of school-boy, and he enjoyed the change. * * * * * Phil Bourne came into my room the same evening that saw Jack Bourne released from the toils of Raffles. "Busy, old man?" "Not at all," said I, pushing away my books. "Jolly glad you've come in." "There's a bit of news for you. I've just been in the gym. I fancy the old school will pull off the 'Heavy' at Aldershot." "Has Hodgson turned out so jolly well, then?" "Hodgson! Oh no! Hodgson isn't going to be the school's representative this year, I fancy." "Why, have you been in form to-night?" "Look here, old man, you are quite out of it. You sit here reading up all that ancient lore about the cestus, and you could tell me the names of all Nero's gladiators, and yet here at this establishment we've got a gladiator who is going to make history, and you don't know it." "I thought you were the only fellow who could show Hodgson anything." "No," said Phil. "I never was as good as Hodgson. I always made a point of making him go all the way to win on principle, but he always had a pull more or less over me. You see, Hodgson is lazy, and he wanted some one to challenge the right to represent the school, or I don't fancy he'd have put in enough good work to stand much chance against the Eton man. Therefore I stepped into the breach, and, by sweating him, have made Hodgson from a very fair boxer into a good one--good, but nothing super-excellent." "Then who's been lying low all this time?" "Acton." "_Acton?_" said I, in utter astonishment. "Why, didn't our dear Theodore dress him down once for losing his temper in the gym?" "He did, my boy, and Acton repaid the compliment to-night--with interest. He opened our eyes for us. I'm telling the bare truth when I say that he simply played with Theodore, and at the third round he as good as knocked him out." I stared into the fire for a minute or two, thinking out this news. "Eureka!" said I. "I've found it!" "What?" "The reason Acton crops up here. He cannot forget an injury. Hodgson humbled him once, and so Acton must needs take away from Theodore his own peculiar pet ambition, which is to represent St. Amory's at Aldershot in the Heavy." "I wish," said Phil, gloomily, "Biffen's Beauty's schemes always worked out so well for the school's honour. He'll represent St. Amory's without a doubt." "Is he so very good, then?"