ter than Beaumont-Greene, and
quite as good as Lovell. The Demon, of course, is in another class."

"And therefore he oughtn't to play with you. It's robbery."

"Now you're talking bosh."

The Eton and Harrow match ended in another draw. Time and Scaife's
fielding saved Harrow from defeat. The fact of a draw had significance.
A draw spelled compromise. John had indulged in a superstitious fancy
common enough to persons older than he. "If Harrow wins," he put it to
himself, "Caesar will triumph; if Eton wins, Caesar will lose." When the
match proved a draw, John drew the conclusion that his pal would "funk"
telling the truth; an apprehension presently confirmed.

"I didn't tell the governor," said Caesar, when John and he met. "My
eldest brother, Hugo, is coming home, and I shall screw it out of him.
He's a good sort, and he's going to marry a girl who is simply rolling.
He'll fork out, I know he will. I feel awfully cheery."

"I don't," said John.

He had good reason to fear that Caesar and he were drifting apart. Now he
worked by himself. And his voice had broken. A small thing this, but
John was sensible that his singing voice touched corners in Caesar's soul
to which his speaking voice never penetrated. More, Caesar and he had
agreed to differ upon points of conscience other than card-playing. And
every point of conscientious difference increases the distance between
true friends in geometrical progression. Poor Jonathan!

But we have his grateful testimony that Warde stood by him. And Warde
made him see life at Harrow (and beyond) in a new light. Warde, indeed,
decomposed the light into primary colours, a sort of experiment in
moral chemistry, and not without fascination for an intelligent boy.
Sometimes, it became difficult to follow Warde--members of the Alpine
Club said that often it was impossible--because he jumped where others
crawled. And he clipped words, phrases, thoughts so uncommonly short.

"You're beginning to see, Verney, eh? Scales crumbling away, my boy. And
strong sunshine hurts the eyes--at first. Black spots are dancing before
you. I know the little devils."

Or again--

"This remove will wipe a bit more off the debt, won't it? Ha, ha! I've
made you reckon up what you owe Mrs. Verney. But there are others----"

"I'm awfully grateful to you, sir."

"Never mind me."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"New Testament; Matthew; twenty-fifth chapter--I forget verse.[30] Look
it up. Christ answe