Well, at
this particular moment it happened that Balfour Murray--you know the
chap that has been running that settlement joint in the Canongate for
the last two years--proposes to Dunn that he should spend a few weeks
in leading the young hopefuls in that interesting and uncleanly
neighbourhood into paths of virtue and higher citizenship by way of
soccer and kindred athletic stunts. Dunn in his innocence agrees,
whereupon Balfour Murray promptly develops a sharp attack of pneumonia,
necessitating rest and change of air, leaving the poor old chief in the
deadly breach. Of course, everybody knows what the chief would do in any
deadly breach affair. He gave up his Highland tour, shouldered the whole
Canongate business, organised the thing as never before, inveigled all
his friends into the same deadly breach, among the number your humble
servant, who at the time was fiercely endeavouring in the last lap of
the course to atone for a two years' loaf, organised a champion team
which has licked the spots off everything in sight, and in short, has
made the whole business a howling success; at the cost, however, of all
worldly delights, including his Highland tour and the International."
"Oh, I say!" moaned Linklater. "It makes me quite ill to think of the
old chief going off this way.
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