Mr. Henry merely shook his head very slightly. It was of no consequence, he quietly said, and called up the third class for its German exercises. Dr. Brabazon, letting the matter drop, sat down and began turning the things over on his table in search of his lead-pencil. Not finding it, he took one from his pocket, and, in doing so, let it fall. It rolled along the floor, and one of the boys picked it up. "Thank you, Jessop," said he, always pleasant with his pupils. "It would not do to lose this, would it?" The pencil was of gold, with a beautiful diamond set in the top. It had been a present to him from some former pupils. The doctor began to make notes on an exercise. "I say, Dick, what a blessing the German did not twig you," whispered Smart, speaking with his head bent over his Euripides as if he were steadily conning it. "But he did," answered Dick. "I'm sure he didn't. What nonsense! As if he'd not have got you into punishment if he had the chance!" Dick, for a wonder, did not insist on his own opinion, and the afternoon went on. Dr. Brabazon's man-servant, Dean, appeared at the door and said a gentleman was waiting to see him, and the doctor left the hall. He only came back again just as the classes were rising. Boys and masters poured out indiscriminately as usual. Mr. Henry walked away quickly, and the boys went into a state of frantic delight in the tea-room, ironically hoping he was washing his cheek. But Dick Loftus had been struck with the amazing generosity displayed to him; for that Mr. Henry saw him fling the apple purposely, had been as plain to him as the sun at noon-day; and he thought he owed some acknowledgment of the consideration shown. Dick Loftus was all impulse, and he forthwith went on the gallop to Mother Butter's. Mr. Henry was bending over his table working at the translation. "I've come to say I'm sorry for what I did, and to thank you for not telling of me," began Dick, his face glowing rather more than usual. "That's right," said Mr. Henry, his luminous eyes lighting up with a smile as he took Dick's hand and shook it. "You saw me fling it, didn't you, sir?" "Yes." "Then why didn't you tell?" "Because I did not wish you to be punished. I like to make people's lives pleasant to them; perhaps because I have had very little pleasure in my own." "Would you never punish any of us?" "I would if I saw you do essentially wrong. But for petty spite—retaliation—revenge—oh, Dick, don't you know Who it is that has warned us against these? I think we must all try for love and peace on earth if we would enter into it in heaven." Dick considered: it was rather an unaccustomed way of putting matters. He began to work things out in his mind, speaking, as was usual with him, what came uppermost. "I don't call it at all a heavenly thing to have gone behind their backs, and told about the seniors smoking," said he, practically. "I suppose you think smoking's one of the wrong things."