s is not
the only person who disliked being made a `vlouting-stog.'"

"You must have some talisman for transmuting boys if you consider old
Woods an excellent fellow, Percival. I found him a mass of laziness and
brute strength. Do give me your secret."

"Try a little kindness and sympathy. I have no other secret."

"I'm not conscious of failing in kindness," said Mr Robertson drily.
"My fault, I think, is being too kind."

"To clever, promising, bright boys--yes; to unthankful and evil boys
(excuse me for saying so)--no. You don't try to descend to their dull
level, and so understand their difficulties. You don't suffer fools
gladly, as we masters ought to do. But, Paton," he said, turning the
conversation, which seemed distasteful to Mr Robertson, "will you try
how it succeeds to lay the yoke a little less heavily on Evson?"

"Well, Percival, I don't think that I've consciously bullied him. I
can't make my system different to him and other boys."

"My dear Paton, forgive my saying that I don't think that a rigid system
is the fairest; _summa lex summa crux_. Fish of very different sorts
and sizes come to our nets, and you can't shove a turbot through the
same mesh that barely admits a sprat."

"I'll think of what you say; but I must leave him in Dr Lane's hands
now," said Mr Paton.

"Who, I heartily hope, won't flog him," said Mr Percival.

"Why? I don't see how he can do otherwise."

"Because it will simply drive him to despair; because, if I know
anything of his character, it will have upon him an effect incalculably
bad."

"I hope not," said Mr Paton.

The conversation dropped, and Mr Percival resumed his newspaper.

When Walter went to Dr Lane in the evening, the Doctor inquired kindly
and carefully into the nature of his offence. This, unfortunately, was
clear enough, and Walter was far too ingenuous to attempt any
extenuation of it. Even if he had not been intentionally idle, it was
plain, on his own admission, that he had been guilty of the greatest
possible insubordination and disrespect. These offences were rare at
Saint Winifred's, and especially rare in a new boy. Puzzled as he was
by conduct so unlike the boy's apparent character, and interested by his
natural and manly manner, yet Dr Lane had in this case no alternative
but the infliction of corporal punishment.

Humiliated again, and full of bitter anger, Walter returned to the great
schoolroom, where he was received with sym