# LII: On the Trail Again explained — Mike

> Chapter companion for Mike by P. G. Wodehouse.

## What happens

Psmith neglects to inform Mike about the afternoon's events, leading Mike to go to school in pumps after losing a boot. Mr. Downing, a staunch opponent of shoes, detects Mike's footwear and, upon hearing his explanation, becomes convinced that his case against Mike is complete. He rushes to the headmaster after the lesson.

## Themes in this chapter

### Rebellion Versus Authority

Mike's wearing of pumps, even unintentionally, represents a minor defiance of school rules, which Mr. Downing seizes upon as evidence of a larger transgression.

## Character check-ins

### Mike Jackson

Goes to school in pumps after losing a boot, drawing Mr. Downing's ire.

### Psmith

Keeps the afternoon's events secret from Mike, leading to the boot incident.

### Mr. Downing

Detects Mike's pumps and uses the incident to complete his case against Mike, then hurries to the headmaster.

### Edmund

Unable to find Mike's missing boot, offers only one boot as a compromise.

### Stone

Called upon to translate but flounders; Mr. Downing is too distracted to notice.

## Key lines

> The most massive minds are apt to forget things at times. The most adroit plotters make their little mistakes. Psmith was no exception to the rule. He made the mistake of not telling Mike of the afternoon’s happenings.

Even clever people forget things; Psmith forgot to tell Mike about the afternoon's events.

_Highlights Psmith's oversight that leads to the boot incident._

> It is only a deviation from those ordinary rules of school life, which one observes naturally and without thinking, that enables one to realise how strong public-school prejudices really are.

Breaking a routine school rule reveals how deeply ingrained prejudices are in public schools.

_Explains the social reaction to Mike's pumps._

> Mr. Downing was perhaps the most bigoted anti-shoeist in the whole list of English schoolmasters. He waged war remorselessly against shoes.

Mr. Downing was extremely prejudiced against shoes and fought them relentlessly.

_Describes Downing's intense opposition to shoes._

> As Columbus must have felt when his ship ran into harbour, and the first American interviewer, jumping on board, said, 'Wal, sir, and what are your impressions of our glorious country?' so did Mr. Downing feel at that moment.

Mr. Downing felt triumphant, like Columbus arriving in America, when Mike's explanation completed his case.

_Compares Downing's satisfaction to a historic discovery._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mike_se/chapters/lii-on-the-trail-again
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mike_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/mike_se/chapters