"When did you think of going to town?"
"At the end of the week, my boy. What do you say to coming?"
"Yes--I'll come."
The Captain darted a triumphant glance in the direction of the tutor.
But the tutor was investigating the contents of a game pie in the
endeavour to discover a piece of egg for Miss Jill.
After a pause that young lady took up her discourse.
"If father and Roger go to town, Tom, we shall have dear Mr Armstrong
all to ourselves."
"Hooroo!" said Tom; "that is, if it's holidays."
"I am thinking of going to Oxford next week," said the tutor,
elaborately folding up his napkin, addressing his co-trustee. "Have you
any message I can give to any of your acquaintances there?"
"I think it would be a pity for you to leave Maxfield just now. One of
us should remain."
"Yes, do stay. We'll have such larks," said Tom. "We'll get Rosalind
to come and stay, and then we shall be able to play regular matches,
ladies against gentlemen, you know."
"No. Mr Armstrong and I will stand Rosalind and you," suggested Jill.
Even these allurements failed.
"I shall make my visit as short as possible. I have, as you know, a few
creditors in Oxford on whom I am anxious to call. Let me give you a
little cheese, Roger."
That evening when, as usual, the tutor looked in to say good night to
his ward, Roger said rather gloomily--
"I suppose you object to my going to London?"
"On the contrary, I rather envy you."
"Of course you understand I am going up to make inquiries?"
"Naturally. With Captain Oliphant's assistance?"
"No. I'm not inclined to tell him anything at present. He has no idea
that Ratman is anything but an Indian acquaintance."
"My address will be `"Green Dragon," Oxford,'" said the tutor.
"By the way," said Roger--both men were talking in the forced tones
which belong to an unacknowledged estrangement--"Whether this matter is
right or not, I propose to write to Ratman and enclose him £10."
"Naturally," said the tutor.
"I am tied down, as you know, in the matter of my pocket-money, and
can't well spare it out of my present allowance. I want the trustees to
give me an extra allowance."
"In other words, you want your trustees to keep Mr Robert Ratman at the
rate of £250 a year. I shall agree to that the day that he satisfies me
he is Roger Ingleton."
"I expected you would refuse. I must ask Captain Oliphant."
"I'm afraid he will require my sanction to any such arrangement."
"What! Do you mean to say that I am at your mercy in a matter like
this?"
"I fear that is unhappily the case. I can resolve the matter by
resigning my tutorship."
Had it come to that? Roger glanced up with a scared look which for the
moment clouded out the vexation in his face.
"Excuse me, Armstrong. All this worry is bad for my temper. I'm afraid
I lost it."
"I can sympathise," said the tutor, "for I have lost mine. Good night."