"unless,
indeed, Dudley," and he turned to his friend, "you will give up this
expedition altogether, as I strongly advise."

But Dudley had made up his mind. He did not want Max to go with him, but
he was resolved to go to the wharf. And his friend's heart failed within
him at the news.

"Don't you think it would be advisable to get a policeman to accompany
you?" he hazarded in a low voice.

But Dudley started violently at the suggestion.

"Policeman!" repeated he in a louder tone than Max had used. "Good
heavens, no!"

Max, looking round, saw that Carrie had overheard; but she betrayed no
emotion at the suggestion, even if she felt any.

Dudley pulled out his watch.

"I have an appointment for this evening," said he; "I must get out of
it. Max, if you persist in going with me to the wharf, you're a fool.
When your friends are doing well, you should stick to them; when they
have got into a mess, you should have appointments elsewhere." Although
he spoke cynically, there was underneath his scoffing tone a strain of
tenderness. He turned quickly to the girl at this point, as if afraid of
betraying more feeling than he had intended to do. "You've delivered
your message," said he, sharply, "now you can go."

But Carrie lingered. Looking shyly at Max, she said in a low voice:

"Have you made up your mind that you will go with him?"

"Yes," said Max.

"All right," nodded Carrie. "Then I'll go, too."

Dudley looked down at the girl with an impatient frown on his face.

"Supposing we don't want you?" said he, dryly.

"You will," she answered briefly, without even looking at him.

Dudley considered for a moment, and then said shortly:

"All right. We may as well keep an eye on you."

Carrie laughed, and then remained silent. As for Max, he was struck with
an odd likeness between the girl's dry, short manner of speaking to
Dudley and Dudley's manner of speaking to her.

At that moment there was an interruption in the shape of the waiter from
a neighboring restaurant, who came in with the dinner Dudley had ordered
for himself.

"I shan't want it now," said Dudley, as the man put down the covered
dishes on the table.

"Why, surely you're not in such a hurry that you haven't time to dine?"
said Max.

Dudley made an impatient gesture.

"I can get a biscuit somewhere, if I want it. I can't eat just now."

"Let me eat your dinner for you, then," said Max. "I've had none. And if
I'm to go rambling all over