Chapter Twenty Eight.
Conclusion.
Saint Kirwin’s was jubilant, and the reason for its jubilation lay in the fact that it had just obtained an unexpected and unlooked-for whole holiday, and that thanks to the request of a now famous explorer-naturalist, who had been invited to revisit his old school and to deliver a lecture in a scientific interest. So interesting and withal instructive, indeed, had he rendered this, that while cordially thanking him in the name of the whole school, the headmaster—not our old friend and sometime terror, Dr Bowen, otherwise Nick—had made him promise to continue it the following week. This he had agreed to do, but only to ask a favour in his turn, and that was to grant the school a whole holiday on the following day—and to an old Kirwinian who had greatly distinguished himself the headmaster had felt that much was due. So Haviland went to bed that night the most popular person within those classic walls; and until late, in more than one dormitory, traditions of his doughty deeds of a dozen years ago were repeated, and those in his whilom dormitory felt themselves of immeasurable importance by virtue of that purely fortuitous circumstance.
The while, in Mr Sefton’s snug rooms Haviland and the master were forgathering.
“Light your pipe, Haviland,” said the latter. “A wanderer like you can’t do without it, I expect. Well! well! I’m very glad to see you again, very. And you’ve done credit to the old place, too.”
“Oh, as to that, sir, I have only my good fortune to thank in having been able to take my own line. Round peg in a round hole, you know.”
Mr Sefton looked at the tall form and bronzed face of the young explorer with unmeasured approval. He himself had hardly changed at all—turning a little grey, perhaps, that was all.
“I say, sir, what were they about that they didn’t make you head when the Doctor left?” broke forth Haviland.
“Ha! That isn’t a sore point with me. I’m second now, and that’s good enough to go on with.” Then, leaning forward in his quaint way—“Other man—interest by marriage—see?” with a chuckle. “I say, though,” he went on, “fancy them making Nick a bishop, eh?”
“Yes, I’m glad he’s got a good thing, though,” said Haviland. “He had a ‘down’ on me, but he was so awfully good to me afterwards that it didn’t count.”