At the conclusion of prayers, therefore, he went up again to Kennedy's study, with a more hopeful air than he had worn on his previous visit.
"Come in," said Kennedy, reaching for the swagger-stick which he was accustomed to use at these ceremonies.
"Please, Kennedy," said Wren, glibly. "I did get leave to go down town this afternoon."
"What!"
Wren repeated the assertion.
"Who gave you leave?"
"Fenn."
The thing did not seem to be working properly. When he said the word "Fenn", Wren expected to see Kennedy retire baffled, conscious that there was nothing more to be said or done. Instead of this, the remark appeared to infuriate him.
"It's just like your beastly cheek," he said, glaring at the red-headed delinquent, "to ask Fenn for leave instead of me. You know perfectly well that only the head of the house can give leave to go down town. I don't know how often you and the rest of the junior dayroom have played this game, but it's going to stop now. You'd better remember another time when you want to go to Rose's that I've got to be consulted first."
With which he proceeded to ensure to the best of his ability that the memory of Master Wren should not again prove treacherous in this respect.