Carrie laughed, and then remained silent. As for Max, he was struck with
an odd likeness between the girl's dry, short manner of speaking to
Dudley and Dudley's manner of speaking to her.

At that moment there was an interruption in the shape of the waiter from
a neighboring restaurant, who came in with the dinner Dudley had ordered
for himself.

"I shan't want it now," said Dudley, as the man put down the covered
dishes on the table.

"Why, surely you're not in such a hurry that you haven't time to dine?"
said Max.

Dudley made an impatient gesture.

"I can get a biscuit somewhere, if I want it. I can't eat just now."

"Let me eat your dinner for you, then," said Max. "I've had none. And if
I'm to go rambling all over the town to look after you, I shall want
something to keep me going."

"All right," said Dudley. "I'm to come back here for you, then?"

And he took up his overcoat. Max began to help him on with it.

"Come in here a moment," said Dudley, in the same dry, abrupt manner as
before; "I want to speak to you."

Max followed him into the ante-room, and Dudley shut the sitting-room