The doctor looked perplexed. "The fact is," he said, "your son can
hardly be dealt with as a child any longer. He is still quite a boy
in his habits and ideas; but physically he is rapidly springing up
into a young man. That reminds me of another point on which I will
ask you to speak earnestly to him. I must tell you that he has
attained some distinction among his school-fellows here as an
athlete. Within due bounds I do not discourage bodily exercises:
they are a recognized part of our system. But I am sorry to say that
Cashel has not escaped that tendency to violence which sometimes
results from the possession of unusual strength and dexterity. He
actually fought with one of the village youths in the main street of
Panley some months ago. The matter did not come to my ears
immediately; and, when it did, I allowed it to pass unnoticed, as he
had interfered, it seems, to protect one of the smaller boys.
Unfortunately he was guilty of a much more serious fault a little
later. He and a companion of his had obtained leave from me to walk
to Panley Abbey together. I afterwards found that their real object
was to witness a prize-fight that took place--illegally, of
course--on the common. Apart from the deception practised, I think
the taste they betrayed a dangerous one; and I felt bound to punish
them by a severe imposition, and restriction to the grounds for six
weeks. I do not hold, however, that everything has been done in
these cases when a boy has been punished. I set a high value on a
mother's influence for softening the natural roughness of boys."

"I don't think he minds what I say to him in the least," said the
lady, with a sympathetic air, as if she pitied the doctor in a
matter that chiefly concerned him. "I will speak to him about it, of
course. Fighting is an unbearable habit. His father's people were
always fighting; and they never did any good in the world."