“And now, after this rescue of Finch at the risk of his own life,—undoubtedly he will be the strongest boy in school.” “I think that I should like to tell him that I do fully forgive him—that I regret my stand with regard to his appointment.” “Well,” said the Head Master, “I think that he would like to hear.” With that Mr. Roylston said good-night. He walked over to the Infirmary at once and enquired about the two boys. Finch’s condition was still unsatisfactory, but Deering was very much better—and, yes, he was quite able to see Mr. Roylston if the master desired. Tony was still in bed, but he looked splendidly well and bright as he lay in the cool white cot, which had been pushed near the open log fire. A nurse had been reading to him. He had had a close call, but now he was practically himself again and would be going down in a few days. He was surprised to see Mr. Roylston, but not in the least embarrassed. He shook hands cordially. The master enquired about his health, made some perfunctory remarks about the rescue and about the school, fidgeting and ill at ease, until the nurse took the hint and slipped away. “I came,” he said then, as he drew up the chair near the bedside and took a seat, “not only to enquire about you, as I have been doing daily, but to have a little talk with you, since I know you are practically all right again.” “Yes, sir,” said Tony. “Do you know, Anthony,” asked Mr. Roylston suddenly, “why it was that Jacob Finch tried to run away that night?” “Why, no, sir—I don’t—not altogether, that is. Poor Jake was in a bad way; things had been getting pretty hard for him for one reason or another, and he was making them still harder for himself. I did hear that you caught him cheating in your Latin examination, and I just supposed that that was the last straw. He’s always been rather friendly with me, but he was so vicious that night down by the pond, refusing altogether to tell me why he was cutting out, that I thought him a little out of his head. But I supposed the cheating was really responsible.” “Well,” rejoined Mr. Roylston, after a moment’s reflection, “as a matter of fact I was altogether mistaken about his cheating in that particular examination. I believe what he afterwards told me, that he had not cheated at all; though, as he also acknowledged he had cheated so often before that I can hardly blame myself for suspecting him.” “Yes, I know,” said Tony; “I am afraid poor Jake lost all hold of himself. He was not naturally a cheat or a story-teller, but—but—well, I try to think he wasn’t altogether responsible.” “Perhaps not—that night in my room, at all events, he quite lost control of himself as a result of my accusation, and he told me in a very bitter language that my attitude toward him had been one of the chief causes of his unhappiness here at Deal.”