“So I hear. Well, it was hard luck in a way—but after all you had a
perfect right to penalize him; he did foul, and he ought to be sport
enough to take the consequences.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t have been—it wouldn’t be possible to run the race
over?”

“Certainly not. Besides, Westby has no right to say that if he’d started
even with Flack, he’d have beaten him. It’s true that he gained half a
yard on Flack in the race; but it’s also true that Flack knew he had
that much leeway. There’s no telling how much more Flack might have done
if he’d had to. So if Westby says anything to me, I shall tell him just
that.”

“I feel sorry about the thing anyway. I’m sorry I made a mess of it—as
usual.”

“Oh, cheer up; it’s not going to do you any harm with the fellows. A
little momentary flash from Westby and Morrill—”

“No, I wasn’t thinking of myself.”

“You weren’t!” The bluntness of Barclay’s exclamation of astonishment
caused Irving to blush, and Barclay himself, realizing what he had
betrayed to Irving’s perception, looked embarrassed. But Irving
laughed.

“I don’t wonder you’re surprised. I guess that’s been the worst trouble
with me here—thinking about myself. And that was what was troubling me