"Oh yes!" said Philips, naïvely. "The fellows have taken any amount of interest, especially Cotton." "Cotton's is rather a case of Saul among the prophets, isn't it, Philips?" "This sort of thing didn't quite seem his line before, sir." "No; I never thought so myself; but it is very pleasant to make a mistake, too. I see Todd, who is the best chemist in the house, does not subscribe at all." "Most of the fellows thought it rather strange." "And said so, no doubt?" said the master, looking abstractedly at his finger-nails. "H'm!" said Philips, feeling uncomfortable at this thrust. "They may have." "You see, Philips," said Taylor, gently, "there ought to have been no quizzing of Todd, for a contribution to a matter like this ought to be entirely voluntary--most emphatically so, I think. And if Todd does not see his way to subscribe--and he is the sole judge--there ought to be no remarks whatever." "I see, sir," said Philips, dubiously. "I was much annoyed to see that Todd's name has been prominently before the house for the last day or so." "You mean on the notice-board, sir?" "Yes; I can quite see why it is. The honorary secretary has not had much experience in this clerical work before, so he has fallen into a great mistake. In fact," said the house-master, bluntly, "the secretary's taste is not to be depended on." "I don't think Cotton meant anything----" began Philips. "Well, perhaps not," said the Rev. E. Taylor, doubtfully; "but, in any case, will you take down the present list, and draw up a fresh one--if you think one at all necessary--with only the names of subscribers upon it? A house list should not have been used at all. Please tell Cotton I said so, and I hope he will see the fairness of it." Philips took down the offending list, and told Cotton the house-master's opinions. Jim Cotton had not very quick feelings, but contempt can pierce the shell of a tortoise, and as Philips innocently retailed the message, the secretary of the Penfold Tablet Fund knew there was one man who held him a cad. CHAPTER XXIII BOURNE _v._ ACTON Jack had gone to London with his patron on Thursday. On Saturday morning Acton went to Aldershot, carrying with him the hopes and good wishes of the whole of St. Amory's, and at night the school band had met him at the station. They (the band) struggled bravely--it was very windy--with "See, the Conquering Hero comes!" in front of the returned hero, who was "chaired" by frenzied Biffenites. The expected had happened. Acton had annihilated Rossal, Shrewsbury, and Harrow, and in the final had met the redoubtable Jarvis, from "Henry's holy shade." The delightful news circulated round St. Amory's that Acton had "made mincemeat" of Jarvis. He had not, but after a close battle had scrambled home first; he had won, and that was the main thing.