Tommy was now splendid, and described the affair at the Slugs with an adorable modesty.
"I assure you, it was a much smaller thing to do than you imagine; it was all over in a few minutes; I knew that in your good nature you would make too much of it, and so--foolishly, I can see now--I tried to keep it from you.

As for the name Captain Ure, it was an invention of that humourous dog, Corp." And so on, with the most considerate remarks when they insisted on shaking hands with him: "I beseech you, don't apologize to me; I see clearly that the fault was entirely my own.

Had I been in your place, Mr.James, I should have behaved precisely as you have done, and had you been at the Slugs you would have jumped in as I did.

Mr.Cathro, you pain me by holding back; I assure you I esteem my old Dominie more than ever for the way in which you stuck up for Captain Ure, though you must see why I could not drink that gentleman's health." And Mr.Cathro made the best of it, wringing Tommy's hand effusively, while muttering, "Fool, donnard stirk, gowk!" He was addressing himself and any other person who might be so presumptuous as to try to get the better of Thomas Sandys.

Cathro never tried it again.