ough you'll
think it pretty low of me. But after you came and told us you were
living here with Mr. Aston I used to ask people about him. One day I
came round here and ... somehow I never took it in. I knew in a way
you lived here, but I didn't know it was like this...." He stumbled
over his words in an embarrassed fashion.

"Like what?" demanded Christopher shortly.

"Well, I thought you was here like a sort of servant--not with them
exactly--I see now, I never took it in before--you with your own rooms
and walking in at the front door and ordering dinner and them blokes
in the hall saying 'sir' to you--oh, lor'."

"I told you they had adopted me," said the other, frowning and rather
red.

"I ought to have taken it in, but I didn't," continued Sam humbly,
"and then you ask me here--and are going to give me a chance--Oh,
lor',--what's it all for, I want to know? What does it mean?"

Christopher got up and walked away. Had Sam but known it, his chance
in life was in dire peril at that moment. Seldom had Christopher felt
so angry and never had he felt so out of touch with his companion. Why
on earth couldn't Sam take his luck without wanting reasons. It was so
preposterous, in Christopher's eyes, to want any. In the old days Sam
had been ready to share his scant pennies and toys with his small
friend. The offer of a ride in a van from the warehouse where Sartin
senior worked would have included both of them or neither. What was
the difference? What was the use of having plenty if not to share it
with a friend?

To his credit he did not allow Sam to guess his irritation, but
suggested a return to Caesar's room.

"Didn't it take you an awful long time to get used to all this?"
inquired Sam, as he followed him.

"I forget. No, I don't though. I hated it rather at first, the clothes
and collars and having to change and be tidy, and all that, but I soon
got used to it. Here we are."

Mr. Aston was there too now. Sam was duly introduced and behaved with
great discretion. He was far less abashed by Mr. Aston than by Aymer,
whose physical condition produced a shyness not inherent in the
youth.

Mr. Aston talked to him in a friendly gossiping way, then looked
across at Aymer with a faint nod.

Aymer unfolded his scheme of carrying out Sam's ambitions to a
fruitful end. He was to go for a year to a commercial school, and
after that to be put into a good firm as pupil or 'prentice with a
chance of becoming a junior p