“My son has run away. Unless I can get him back there will, of course, be an inquiry, and I shall need to come forward. The papers will sooner or later get wind of it and the facts will come out. When once it is known that a bruiser sent his son to a Public School and that he ran away, I shall never be able to get him into another school in England, except as a notoriety. Is there any means at all by which you could help me to get him back?” “I’m not going back,” interrupted Bobbie, with sudden emphasis. They turned to look at him. “Why not?” said Toby, in astonishment. The boy was silent, but Johnny spoke up. “You must tell him, Bobbie,” said he. “If we want help from Mr Nicholson we must tell him everything. There’s a young fellow at the school, Mr Nicholson, who happens to know the secret that we’ve tried to keep, and by threatening to tell it he has made Bobbie do things that he shouldn’t have. No doubt this fellow will guess that the boy came up to see me fight, and even if we should get him safely back to-night perhaps he will say now that unless Bobbie does this or that for him he will report his absence to the Headmaster.” Toby was looking from one to the other thoughtfully. “How did this boy come to know you at all then, Johnny?” For a moment the little man hesitated. At last he began to explain. “His father had money. There was a time when he acted as my backer, and as I won my fights he made a very good profit. Then he came to me one day and proposed a put-up job. He wanted me to fight a man and lose. It was to sway the betting to his advantage. But I told him what I thought of him and he never backed me again. I didn’t care for him to. This son, from what I know, will be much the same as the father, and _he_ knows well enough my history.” “His name would be Coles,” said Toby. The little man looked at him in surprise. “You know him?” “Very well indeed,” said Toby. “Strangely well.” There came an interval of silence. Toby appeared to be considering. At last he looked up. “You are the father of a boy at Harley, Mr Carr,” said he. “Do you know all that has been happening there this term?” “Bobbie has told me,” said the little man. “I am very sorry.” Toby nodded his head.