at?"

Jack Bruce was alone in the car, muffled to the eyes in an overcoat.
It was more by his general appearance than his face that Sheen had
recognised him.

"It's me, Sheen. I say, Bruce, I wish you'd give me a lift to
Seymour's, will you?"

There was never any waste of words about Jack Bruce. Of all the six
hundred and thirty-four boys at Wrykyn he was probably the only one
whose next remark in such circumstances would not have been a question.
Bruce seldom asked questions--never, if they wasted time.

"Hop in," he said.

Sheen consulted his watch again.

"Lock-up's in a quarter of an hour," he said, "but they give us ten
minutes' grace. That allows us plenty of time, doesn't it?"

"Do it in seven minutes, if you like."

"Don't hurry," said Sheen. "I've never been in a motor before, and I
don't want to cut the experience short. It's awfully good of you to
give me a lift."

"That's all right," said Bruce.

"Were you going anywhere? Am I taking you out of your way?"

"No. I was just trying the car. It's a new one. The pater's just got
it."

"Do you do much of this?" said Sheen.

"Good bit. I'm going in for the motor business when I leave school."

"So all this is training?"

"That's it."

There was a pause.

"You seemed to be going at a good pace just now," said Sheen.

"About thirty miles an hour. She can move all right."

"That's faster than you're allowed to go, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"You've never been caught, have you?"

"Not yet. I want to see how much pace I can get out of her, because
she'll be useful when the election really comes on. Bringing voters to
the poll, you know. That's why the pater bought this new car. It's a
beauty. His other's only a little runabout."

"Doesn't your father mind your motoring?"

"Likes it," said Jack Bruce.

It seemed to Sheen that it was about time that he volunteered some
information about himself, instead of plying his companion with
questions. It was pleasant talking to a Wrykinian again; and Jack Bruce
had apparently either not heard of the Albert incident, or else he was
not influenced by it in any way.

"You've got me out of an awful hole, Bruce," he began.

"That's all right. Been out for a walk?"

"I'd been to the 'Blue Boar'."

"Oh!" said Bruce. He did not seem to wish to know why Sheen had been
there.

Sheen proceeded to explain.

"I suppose you've heard all about me," he said uncomfortably. "About
the town, you know. That fight.