"I'm glad of that. I mean, I'm glad we haven't been such fools as we might have been. You see, we only had Stanning's word to go on." Sheen started. "Stanning!" he said. "What do you mean?" "He was the chap who started the story. Didn't you know? He told everybody." "I thought it was Drummond," said Sheen blankly. "You remember meeting me outside his study the day after? I thought he told you then." "Drummond! Not a bit of it. He swore you hadn't been with him at all. He was as sick as anything when I said I thought I'd seen you with him." "I--" Sheen stopped. "I wish I'd known," he concluded. Then, after a pause, "So it was Stanning!" "Yes,--conceited beast. Oh. I say." "Um?" "I see it all now. Joe Bevan taught you to box." "Yes." "Then that's how you came to be at the 'Blue Boar' that day. He's the Bevan who runs it." "That's his brother. He's got a gymnasium up at the top. I used to go there every day." "But I say, Great Scott, what are you going to do about that?" "How do you mean?" "Why, Spence is sure to ask you who taught you to box. He must know you didn't learn with the instructor. Then it'll all come out, and you'll get dropped on for going up the river and going to the pub." "Perhaps he won't ask," said Sheen. "Hope not. Oh, by the way--" "What's up?" "Just remembered what I came up for. It's an awful rag. The senior day-room are going to court-martial you." "Court-martial me!" "For funking. They don't know about Aldershot, not a word. I bagged the _Sportsman_ early, and hid it. They are going to get the surprise of their lifetime. I said I'd come up and fetch you." "I shan't go," said Sheen. Linton looked alarmed. "Oh, but I say, you must. Don't spoil the thing. Can't you see what a rag it'll be?" "I'm not going to sweat downstairs for the benefit of the senior day-room." "I say," said Linton, "Stanning's there." "What!" "He's a witness," said Linton, grinning. Sheen got up. "Come on," he said. Linton came on. * * * * * Down in the senior day-room the court was patiently awaiting the prisoner. Eager anticipation was stamped on its expressive features. "Beastly time he is," said Clayton. Clayton was acting as president. "We shall have to buck up," said Stanning. "Hullo, here he is at last. Come in, Linton." "I was going to," said Linton, "but thanks all the same. Come along, Sheen." "Shut that door, Linton," said Stanning from his seat on the table. "All right, Stanning," said Linton. "Anything to oblige. Shall I bring up a chair for you to rest your feet on?" "Forge ahead, Clayton," said Stanning to the president. The president opened the court-martial in unofficial phraseology. "Look here, Sheen," he said, "we've come to the conclusion that this has got a bit too thick."