o hands.

"I suppose they will," he answered, "but I don't want to know their
names."

"I didn't mean that," I replied.

"What did you mean?" he asked, and I thought he was behaving splendidly.

"I wish you would ask me to lunch if you aren't engaged," I said, "and
then they will have to wait for longer than they bargained."

"Of course," he answered, "they certainly deserve to wait."

I enjoyed that meal very much, the Subby only wanted knowing a little
and then he became quite a good sort, and I think he was amused at a
fresher calmly asking himself to luncheon with him, but it ought to
have shown that I had a certain amount of confidence in him, for even I
could not have asked myself to a meal with Mr. Edwardes. I doubt,
however, if he ever thought of it in that light, for he had been Subby
for five rather troubled years, and had so much to do with dealing with
men who did things they ought not to have done, that he could have had
no time to wonder why they did them.

We began by condemning practical jokes, which was very tactful of him;
he said that he knew only one good practical joke, and that was played
upon himself, but he would not tell me what it was though I promised
that I would never try it on anybody. Then we talked about all sorts
of things, until I had been with him nearly an hour, and the
conversation was inclined to droop.

"Do you sleep very badly?" I asked, because I had heard several dodges
for getting rid of insomnia, and I should like to have done something
for him.

He blinked at me for an instant, and I think he was wondering what I
was driving at, for I suppose it would not do for a Subby to sleep too
soundly. "I am thankful to say I have never been troubled with
sleeplessness," he said, and he looked rather drowsy at that moment.

"Some men do tell the most awful lies," I meant to say to myself, but
somehow or other I said it much louder than I intended.

But he took no notice, and after thanking him very much I left him,
feeling that I had another ally; but it is never prudent to reckon upon
a man who has to look after the conduct of the college, he gets worried
and then does not understand things quite right.

Lambert's head was poking out of Learoyd's window as I went back
through the front quad, and thinking that I might as well get this
thing finished off at once, I ran up-stairs and found Dennison and him
in possession of Learoyd's rooms.

"Much of a row?" Dennison sai