, feeling hopeless as to ever
getting out my secret. "Though I am sure he was very much concerned
about Billy. But he seems to have other things on his mind too."

"Has he? He works too hard, that's what it is; and not content with
that," added he, "he insists on sitting up all night with Billy."

There was another pause. I was no nearer than before, and for any hint
I had given Jack of what was coming he knew as little of it as he did of
the North Pole.

I must be more explicit, or I should never get out with it.

"Do you know, Jack," said I presently, "he's been telling me a good deal
of his history lately?"

"Oh," said Jack, "you two have got to be quite chummy. By the way, we
ought to hear the result of the exam, on Tuesday, certainly."

"It is very strange and sad," said I, thinking more of what was in my
mind than of what he was saying.

"What _do_ you mean? They oughtn't to take more than a week surely to
go through the papers."

"Oh, I wasn't talking about that," I said. "I was thinking of Mr
Smith's story."

"Why, what's up with you, Fred? You've gone daft about Mr Smith,
surely. What's strange and sad?"

"The story of his life, Jack. He was once--"

"Stop," said Jack, firmly. "I dare say it's all you say, Fred, but I'd
rather you didn't tell it me."

"Why not?" I said.

"He told it to you, but not to me. If he wants me to know it, he will
tell me himself."

I could not but feel the rebuke. Had I but been as careful of another
secret, half my troubles would never have come upon me.

"You are quite right, Jack," I said. "I know by this time that I should
have no business to tell other people's secrets. But, as it happens,
Mr Smith is anxious for me to tell you his story; and that is the
reason, I believe, why he has insisted on leaving us together to-night."

I had launched my ship now!

Jack looked at me in a puzzled way.

"Wants you to tell me his story?" he repeated.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"He has a reason. I think you had better hear it, Jack."

Jack was no fool. He had wits enough to tell him by this time that in
all this mysterious blundering talk of mine there was after all
something more serious than commonplace tittle-tattle. My face and tone
must have proved it, if nothing else did.

He remained leaning out of the window by my side as I told him that
story in words as near those of Mr Smith himself as I could recall.

He interrupted me by no starts or exclam