on't mean it? Well, do you know, a sort of vision of
black tights, and a broad-brimmed hat, crossed me, but I never
gave it a second thought. And so the president comes out to see
the St. Ambrose boat row?"

"Seldom misses two nights running."

"Then, 'carry me out, and bury me decently'. Have you seen old
Tom walking around Peckwater lately on his clapper, smoking a
cigar with the Dean of Christ Church? Don't be afraid. I am ready
for anything you like to tell me. Draw any amount you like on my
faith; I shall honor the draft after that."

"The president isn't a bad judge of an oar, when he sets his mind
to it."

"Isn't he? But, I say, Jack--no sell--how in the world did it
happen?"

"I believe it happened chiefly through his talks with me. When I
was first made tutor he sent for me and told me he had heard I
encouraged the young men in boating, and he must positively
forbid it. I didn't care much about staying up; so I was pretty
plain with him, and said, 'if I was not allowed to take the line
I thought best in such matters, I must resign at the end of the
term.' He assented, but afterwards thought better of it, and sent
for me again, and we had several encounters. I took my ground
very civilly but firmly, and he had to give up one objection
after another. I think the turning point was when he quoted St.
Paul on me, and said I was teaching boys to worship physical
strength, instead of teaching them to keep under their bodies and
bring them into subjection. Of course I countered him there with
tremendous effect. The old boy took it very well, only saying he
feared it was no use to argue further--in this matter of
boat-racing he had come to a conclusion, not without serious
thought, many years before. However, he came round quietly. And
so he has on other points. In fact, he is a wonderfully
open-minded man for his age, if you only put things to him the
right way."

"Has he come round about gentlemen-commoners? I see you have only
two or three up."

"Yes. We haven't given up taking them altogether. I hope that may
come soon. But I and another tutor took to plucking them
ruthlessly at matriculation, unless they were quite up to the
commoner standard. The consequence was, a row in common room. We
stood out, and won. Luckily, as you know, it has always been
given out here that all under-graduates, gentlemen-commoners and
commoners, have to pass the same college examinations, and to
attend the same course of lec