How was it likely, then, he would do such an absurd thing as cut the rudder-lines of the very boat he wanted to win, and on whose success he had even made a bet?
It was much more likely that Silk had made this wild charge for the sake of embarrassing the captain, and leading him to reconsider his determination to report the fight.
And what followed partly confirmed this idea.
"You don't want to get both Gilks and me expelled ?" said Silk, with a half-whine very different from his late bullying tones.
"The doctor never expels fellows for fighting." "But he will when he finds out all this other business," said Silk.
"I really can't help that," said the captain, not quite seeing how the two offences were involved one with another.
"It's bound to come out," continued Silk, "and Gilks will bring me into it too.

I say, can't you get back the names ?" "Certainly not," said the captain.
"You were glad enough to hush it all up when you thought it was young Wyndham had done it," said Silk.
The captain winced, and Silk was quick enough to see it.
"You profess to be fair and honest.

Do you call it fair to shelter one fellow because he's your friend, and tell about another because he isn't?
Eh, Riddell ?" It was not a bad move on Silk's part.

The question thrust home, and had he been content to leave the matter there, it might have been some time before the captain, with his own scrupulous way of regarding things, would have detected its fallacies.

But, not for the first time, Silk overdid it.
"Besides," said he, seeing he had made an impression, and foolishly thinking to follow it up--"besides, young Wyndham's a long way from being out of the wood himself yet.