“Ye-es,” hesitated Crashaw, “that might be done; but, of course, the decision does not rest with us.”
“It rests with the Local Authority,” mused Challis. He was running over three or four names of members of that body who were known to him.
“Certainly,” said Crashaw, “the Local Education Authority alone has the right to prosecute, but——” He did not state his antithesis. They had come to the crux which Crashaw had wished to avoid. He had no weight with the committee of the L.E.A., and Challis’s recommendation would have much weight. Crashaw intended that Victor Stott should attend school, but he had bungled his preliminaries: he had rested on his own authority, and forgotten that Challis had little respect for that influence. Conciliation was the only card to play now.
“If I brought him, he wouldn’t answer your questions,” sighed Challis. “He’s very difficult to deal with.”
“Is he, indeed?” sympathised Mr. Forman. “I’ve ’ardly seen ’im myself; not to speak to, that is.”
“He might come with his mother,” suggested Crashaw.
Challis shook his head. “By the way, it is the mother whom you would proceed against?” he asked.
“The parent is responsible,” said Mr. Forman. “She will be brought before a magistrate and fined for the first offence.”
“I shan’t fine her if she comes before me,” replied Challis.
Crashaw smiled. He meant to avoid that eventuality.