The Jester of St. Timothy's

t that he had on a perfectly good suit of clothes. So he came to the surface, choking and an

. Upton?" said Westby. "I thought for

apsized canoe and said, rather curtly

ever thought they were going to turn that way;

ategy if you hadn't blundere

was no need for Wes to gi

uckle-irritating at least to Irving, who fe

y told him to lay hold of the tail of their canoe, and then they towed him ashore as rapidly as possible. When he drew himself up, drippi

d sensation was most unpleasant, the thought of his damaged and perhaps ruined suit was galling, the indignity of his appearance was particularly hard to bear. He felt

etter do, Mr. Upton," he said. "You'd better take your clothes off, wring them out, and spread them out t

he felt that for a master to do what Scarborough suggested would be undignified, and might somehow comprom

"just as you say. Sorry

ll right,"

d then pretended it was an accident. He remembered Westby's mirthful laugh just when the thing was happening; and certainly if it had really been an accident Westby had shown very little concern. He had been indecently amused; he was so still; his clear joyous laugh was ring

fortunate enough to elude observation on the way to the Upper School, but in this he was disappointed. As he jogged by the S

" asked the rect

ered; he stood for

es," said the rector. "Don't

d by the incident. But when a moment later he passed a group of Fourth Formers and they turned and stared at him, grinning, he

e genial statement which Irving especially resented. To have Westby tell the boys the first day how he had called the new master a new kid and the second day how he had ducked him was a little too much; it seemed to Irving that Westby was slyly amusing himself by undermining his authority. But the boy's

ss. The weather continued good, so that during play time the fellows were out of doors instead of loafing round in dormitory. They all had their own little affairs to organize; athletic clubs and literar

her's rooms; it seemed to Irving, who was trying to read and who had a headache, that there was a needless amount of rushing up and down the corridors and of slamming of doors. By and by the tumult became uproarious, shouts of laughter and the sound of heavy bodies being flung against walls reached his ears; he emerged then and saw the confusion at the end of the corridor. Allison was suspended two or three feet above the floor

is responsible for this will have

d with his e

ose is responsible? I don't see how w

Irving. "Westby, suppose you clim

estby. "Of course no man wants to be arbitrary; he wants to be just. It really seems to me,

lib persuasiveness. Westby stood there, in a calmly respectful, even de

estby," said Irving. "Please climb th

onfuse argument with impartial inquiry; nothing is more distasteful to me than argume

inued snickering all round him and Westby's increasing confid

inute in which to clim

great weight of authority-and years"-Westby choked a laugh-"behind you, don't do a

grinned unc

go up there I shall get my hands all dirty-and equally of course if I had been up there, they would be all dirty now. Surely you bel

aid Irving, clo

alance?" argued Westby. "When the innocent is in

e climb that l

e!" murmured Westby, setti

making him angry. He held his eyes on Westby, who made

tby's voice was ingratiating. "M

sent a sprawling foot out towards

limbing,"

pt murmuring remarks to Allison, to the others, to Irv

amuse anybody-ornamental, I suppose-good timekeeper though-almost hear y

stern and red, Westby disappeared into the loft. There was a moment's silence, then a s

ed Allison

t out in deli

that!" Irving's voice

, and Westby displayed an innocent,

shall really have to report you." Irving's voice rose tr

pose I did, Mr. Upton?-Don't worry, Allison, old man; I'll rescue you, never fear. I'll try to lower you

and slowly, very slowly, Allison began to descend. When his fe

?" called West

awled A

ing for the floor with his toes, had at last the satisfaction of feel

he opening, and then he added sorrowfully, "Sa

any longer; we've had enough nonsen

Upton, sir!" clamored Wes

in exasperation.

e down, pl

es

k you

orrible experience that of Allison's-dreadful situation to have been in-so fortunate that I was at hand-the man who dares-r

ill hanging about and laughing; "move on, move on! Carroll, you a

d that he must offer something else than peevishness and irritation to ward off Westby's humor; already it gave indications of becoming too audacious. Yet on the whole

was an art that he had never learned; confronted by the necessity, he was amazed to find that he had so little idea of how to proceed. The first three slices came off readily enough, though they were somewhat ragged, and Irving was aware that Westby was surveying his operations with a critical interest. The

as he sawed away. At last he hacked off an unsightly slab and passed it

o the maid. She put down the potatoes and the cor

been served, everybody was eating; Scarborough, who was in

iting," Irving said, "but that's

urned his head just in time to catch Westby's humorous mouth and droll dr

don't wait, won't you?" said West

ve. Irving made another unsuccessful effort; the meat quivered and shook and s

ld do better," suggested Westby, in an insidious v

retorted. He added to the other boys, while he strugg

the meat," interposed Westb

sawing. He finally was able to hand to Carroll a plate on which reposed a mus

aid Westby politely, "you could send it

; he looked up and

s out and have i

the humiliation, but instead he trie

you fellows waiting; we'll try to arran

s which had been occasioned by the withdrawal of the roast. It seemed to him that he was publicly disgraced; there was a peculiar ignominy in sit

in a manner which could not conceal th

aimed Blake, the f

don't make any more comments about this matter. It's of no i

added Westby with an urbanity

which had to be recited after chapel to the rector. Irving made the rounds and saw that each boy was in his proper quarters, then went to his own room. For an hour he enjoyed quiet. Then the bell rang annou

ed that whatever happened he would not this time lose

to Irving's ears. The door to Allison's room was wide open; Irving stood and looked upon a pile of bodies heaped on the bed, with struggling arms and legs; even in that moment the foot of t

to make an appealing voice. "Less noise, less noise

hesitating, almost deprecating. The boys grinned at him a

laughter in the west wing, where Collingwood and Westby and Scarborough had their rooms. Then he heard Westby's voice,

at the mimicry, and Irvi

you get t

Kiddy-this

be having an awful time at

air whenever I want to," boasted Westby. "He's the easiest to get rat

ood; and Irving basel

you'l

We'll see, will we?" he muttered, pacing back

O