m.

The distance between Reading and Oxford is happily not great, but by
the time we had finished our journey I was in a state of profound
discomfort, and though I had no love for Mr. Edwardes, I thought that
Bunny might have had the sense to know that if he was amusing himself
he was making things more difficult for me. His explanation was that a
man who looked like a frozen image was just as likely to believe that I
had been inspecting Huntley and Palmer's manufactory as buying a
race-horse, and at any rate it was a good thing to try and mix him up a
little, but I can't say that I thought the explanation a good one.

When we got to Oxford a man from a livery-stable was waiting for
Thunderer, and Jack and I reached St. Cuthbert's just as the Mohocks
were coming back to college after playing pool. It was half-past ten
before I could explain things to the men whom I had asked to dine with
me, and when they heard that I had been buying a race-horse they
thought that my excuses were good enough.

The Bradder was dining with the Mohocks that evening, and when the
out-college men had gone away he asked me to come to his rooms and have
a smoke. I looked at Jack, and The Bradder said at once, "Ask Ward to
come with you," and walked off across the quad.

We told him exactly what we had been doing, and I think Mr. Edwardes
would have been rather surprised to see how he laughed.

"What would Colonel Marten say if he knew you had bought a race-horse?"
he asked me.

"I hope to goodness he never will know," I answered.

"What are you going to do with him?"

"Sell him--if I can; Langham's got him in the stables where he keeps
his horses, and if you would like to have a look at him, I'll take you
round."

But The Bradder shook his head.

"You say Mr. Edwardes saw you at Reading, and that you are gated, and
were not in college until ten o'clock. I wish you would not do such
stupid things," he said quite seriously.

"It was the reaction," I replied.

"From what?"

"Browning," I said, and The Bradder did not look altogether pleased.

"I am sorry you can't appreciate Browning."

"I can't appreciate very many things at once. Besides, Jack and I felt
very dull."

"Mr. Edwardes saw you, I suppose?" he asked Jack.

"I should think so, but I don't think he knows me by sight."

"Oh yes, he does," The Bradder said. "Both of you are bound to hear
more about this."

"It's very unfortunate," Jack remarked; "you see th