Chapel was over by the time he entered Oxford and the fellows were streaming down the stairs. Toby turned to the right and strode valiantly along the corridor and opened the door with the ground-glass panel and the inscription in formidable black lettering: “Office of the Principal.” The outer office was a big, strongly-lighted room with its walls hidden by shelves and filing cabinets. A heavy carpet covered the floor and at each end of the room a big broad-topped desk stood. One of these was presided over by the school secretary. He glanced up perfunctorily as Toby closed the door behind him and nodded to a chair. Toby sat down and waited. From a further room marked “Private” came the sound of low voices. The secretary’s pen scratched on and on in the silence. The outer door opened again and a small boy with a scared countenance entered, was challenged by the secretary’s glance and settled down into the chair next to Toby, trying his best to assume an appearance of nonchalance. Toby wondered if he too had cut chapel. Presently the secretary plunged his pen into a bowl of shot and looked toward Toby. “Well, sir?” “I want to see Doctor Collins, please.” “Summons?” “Sir?” “Are you summoned?” “No, sir, not yet. I mean――” Toby floundered. The ghost of a smile crossed the secretary’s face. “What do you wish to see him about, please?” “I missed chapel this morning, sir, and――” “Oh! What’s the name?” “Tucker, Third Class.” “Excuse?” The secretary had drawn a slip of paper to him and recovered his pen. “I――I forgot, sir,” answered Toby, lamely. The secretary’s eye-brows arched. “That’s a novel excuse, Tucker,” he said dryly. He pulled out a drawer at his right, ran his fingers over the card index there and finally paused. “Tobias Tucker?” “Yes, sir.” “You hold a Ripley Scholarship, I believe?” “Yes, sir.” The secretary’s pen moved leisurely across the slip of paper. “That’s the best excuse you can offer, is it?” he asked, without looking up. “I was――was upset by something,” answered Toby, struggling to make a good case for himself of very poor material. “I didn’t know it was so late, sir. When I found out what time it was it was eight minutes to nine. I’m sorry.” “Hm, being sorry is of so very little use, Tucker. Ever think of that? After this, I’d advise you to do your being sorry beforehand. It saves a lot of trouble sometimes. That’s all. You’ll hear from the Office in due time.” “I couldn’t see Doctor Collins, sir?” asked Toby wistfully. “The Principal does not see students without appointments until after two o’clock, Tucker. You can see him then if you like, but frankly I don’t think it would do you any good. If he wants to see you he will let you know.”