He now determined upon making both Benson and Allister feel the full weight of his authority. Benson he would tackle first.
“Ye’ll begin your wark i’ the mornin’,” said he to Benson as they separated for the night.
“Oh, we’ll see. Perhaps I’ll take a day off and look around the place before putting on the collar.”
“We’re no idlers here; you’ll hae plenty o’ time to look around after school hours.”
Benson had to bite his lip to prevent himself from telling Mr Mactavish with emphasis to mind his own business. But he was not an ill-natured fellow, and, having gauged the boarding-master’s feelings towards Jeanie correctly, had no difficulty in ascribing this churlishness to its true source.
After all, Benson took over his class next day. The teacher whose place he was taking was anxious to leave at once, and could only do so on condition of Benson’s foregoing his “day off.” Mr Mactavish quite mistakenly took the circumstance as indicating submission to his authority.
The class numbered some forty boys, their ages ranging between eleven and fifteen years. Benson was agreeably surprised at the tone of the school. The lads were fairly intelligent, and discipline had been well kept up. But he noticed that the names, rather than the sense of things taught, were retained, that memory was quite out of proportion to understanding. However, the boys were evidently anxious to learn, and the schoolroom was lofty, commodious and well lighted. Benson felt as though he were going to enjoy his work.
At noon he went over to his room; he met Allister on the way.
“I’ve been takin’ a walk round,” said the latter, “and have had a long talk wi’ Maclean, the carpenter. He’s just burstin’ wi’ gall an’ general information. Losh! but doesn’t he hate Mactavish.”
“Well, let me have some information without the gall. I want to know as much as possible about these people.”