Acton's Feud: A Public School Story Read online

  CHAPTER XI

  TODD PAYS THE BILL

  Another youth had come back to St. Amory's with resolutions as fixed andsteady, though more legitimate than Acton's. Augustus Vernon Robert Toddreturned to school with pockets more scantily lined than ever from theparental source, with his mind constantly fixed on the conversation whichhe had had with his house-master on that awful concluding day last term,and his chin still thrust out valiantly. Gus's square chin meant anundeviating attention to serious study, and Gus, armed _cap-a-pie_,against all his old friends.

  For Todd had taken his precautions. His watch--a gold one, "jewelled innumberless holes," as its owner pathetically remarked--had been left withthe family jeweller for three bright golden sovereigns, an eight-and-sixbrass turnip, which went jolly well, although its tick was a triflevigorous under Gus's pillow, and an agreement. This document, drawn up byhimself, Gus regarded as a very masterpiece of business-like acumen. Guscould have his gold watch back again within the year by paying threesovereigns, and buying the brass turnip for half a sovereign, the profitaccruing on this latter transaction being, as Gus explained proudly, thejeweller's percentage on the loan. The family jeweller had informed Guscasually that he couldn't keep a wife and growing family on suchpercentages, but to oblige, etc.

  Todd received Mr. James Cotton blandly and politely, and Jim, in hisheavy way, mistook this airiness for non-paying symptoms on Gus's part.

  "Had a good time, old cock, during the holidays?"

  "Beastly," said Gus.

  "Governor rusty?"

  "No end. Been making the will again, and leaving me out."

  "Perry _fiasco_, eh?"

  "Yes, and other things."

  "Well, I hope you can pay up all you owe me, old chap."

  "Oh yes!" said Gus. "I said I would keep my word, although you were sogood as to have your doubts."

  "All right, glad you can manage it."

  "Here you are," said Gus, thrusting his hand into his pocket and bringingup his coins. "Three three for that rotten bet, and the other fifteen bobI owed you. It's all there."

  Cotton opened his eyes.

  "You said the governor was rusty, Gus?"

  "So he was, beastly; but I can pay you all the same."

  "Well," said Cotton, after a little awkward pause, "I don't want to cleanyou out quite, so pay half now and the rest next term. Would that suityou better, Gus?"

  "Thanks, I don't mind," said Gus, airily. "Here's half, then."

  Cotton left his friend's room considerably puzzled, but when he came nextnight with his books for his old jackal's attentions as before, he wasmore than puzzled, for Gus said--

  "Can give you half an hour, Jim."

  "We won't be able to screw up enough for Merishall in that time, oldman."

  "Then you'll have to do the rest yourself, Jim. I'm not going to piffleabout any more."

  "Oh, don't be an ass, Gus! I've heard that footle before," said Cotton,with his heavy selfishness.

  "Not quite, for this time I mean what I say."

  "Oh no, you don't!"

  "Oh yes, I do!"

  "You wouldn't leave a fellow in the lurch like this, after all I--"

  "I was left in the lurch last term, Jim, dear, and I'd rather you had ataste of it this go. Do you remember when old Corker was savaging mebefore all the school!"

  The ghost of a smile flitted over Cotton's lips as he said--

  "Rather!"

  "The entire school, from the meanest fag up to Carr, was laughing at me,and, by Jove! Jim, your laugh was the loudest and longest."

  "It was your tips I was thinking of, and Corker's frothing through yourlist of names," said Cotton, apologetically.

  "All right," said Todd, acidly. "If you had left me alone I wouldn't havewanted those tips, and as for my names, I did not christen myself. If youwant half an hour to shake out your work roughly I'll do it, but I can'tdo more, Jim, honour bright."

  "I don't want _that_!" said Cotton, angrily, gathering up hisbooks.

  "Am deucedly glad you don't. And here, Jim, is the other half of themoney. Since I'm not obliging you in any way, why should you me?"

  "You're logical, Todd, at any rate," said Jim, with half a sneer.

  "Didn't know you could spot logic when you heard it, Cotton," said Gus,with an equal amount of acid, and yet good-naturedly too.

  "I suppose I clean you out?"

  "You do. I've got a shilling to look at when you've taken up that heap."

  "Is that your last word?"

  "It is, but there's no need to quarrel--we're as we were before I beganto take your hire, Jim."

  "Not quite," said Cotton, who was hit by Gus's decision. "I'll leave youto your odd shilling and your forsaken tips."

  He stumped off to his own room, and called Todd pet names till bedtime.What made Cotton so angry was that, deep down in his own mind, he knewthat Gus was about to do a sensible and a manly thing, and just becausehe himself was going to suffer by it he had not moral courage enough tospeak out openly his better mind.

  But Gus, smiling at Cotton's bad temper, took out his books, drew up ascheme for study, bolted his door, and commenced to work. He slacked offwhen the bell went half an hour before lights out, and spent the timeleft him in boring a hole in his solitary shilling. He then slipped it onhis watch-guard, prepared boldly to face a term of ten weeks without astiver.