in the case of
Bailey versus Conway, I shall not report the trial further than to say
that Adams, Marden, and several other pupils testified to the fact that
Conway had imposed on me ever since my first day at the Temple School.
Their evidence also went to show that Conway was a quarrelsome character
generally. Bad for Conway. Seth Rodgers, on the part of his friend,
proved that I had struck the first blow. That was bad for me.

"If you please, sir," said Binny Wallace, holding up his hand for
permission to speak, "Bailey didn't fight on his own account; he fought
on my account, and, if you please, sir, I am the boy to be blamed, for I
was the cause of the trouble."

This drew out the story of Conway's harsh treatment of the smaller boys.
As Binny related the wrongs of his playfellows, saying very little
of his own grievances, I noticed that Mr. Grimshaw's hand, unknown to
himself perhaps, rested lightly from time to time on Wallace's sunny
hair. The examination finished, Mr. Grimshaw leaned on the desk
thoughtfully for a moment and then said:

"Every boy in this school knows that it is against the rules to
fight. If one boy maltreats another, within school-bounds, or within
school-hours, that is a matter for me to settle. The case should be laid
before me. I disapprove of tale-bearing, I never encourage it in
the slightest degree; but when one pupil systematically persecutes a
schoolmate, it is the duty of some head-boy to inform me. No pupil has a
right to take the law into his own hands. If there is any fighting to be
done, I am the person to be consulted. I disapprove of boys' fighting;
it is unnecessary and unchristian. In the present instance, I consider
every large boy in this school at fault, but as the offence is one of
omission rather than commission, my punishment must rest only on the two
boys convicted of misdemeanor. Conway loses his recess for a month,
and Bailey has a page added to his Latin lessons for the next four
recitations. I now request Bailey and Conway to shake hands in the
presence of the school, and acknowledge their regret at what has
occurred."

Conway and I approached each other slowly and cautiously, as if we were
bent upon another hostile collision. We clasped hands in the tamest
manner imaginable, and Conway mumbled, "I'm sorry I fought with you."

"I think you are," I replied, drily, "and I'm sorry I had to thrash
you."

"You can go to your seats," said Mr. Grimshaw, turning his