The headmaster looked up quickly and said a little impatiently, for he was a busy man and resented interruption, “Well, Whately? Yes; what is it?”
“I came to see you, sir.”
“Oh, yes, of course you did. I forgot. Well, what is it?”
“Sir, I’ve come to tell you that Mr. Carus Evans told me to come and report myself to you and say that—well, sir—that I’ve been going out for walks with a girl in the town.”
“What!”
“Yes, sir, a girl in the town, and that I’d asked a boy in his house to come with me, sir.”
The Chief rose from his chair and walked across to the mantelpiece. There was a long pause.
“But I don’t quite understand, Whately. You’ve been going out with some girl in the town?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you’ve encouraged some boy in Mr. Carus Evans’ house to accompany you?”