I've just realized, looking at those groups, that you must have
been at school together. Did you come much across him?"

"Very little," he answered, and sounded shy. He got up hastily,
and began to muddle with the coffee.

"But he was in the same house. Surely that's a house group?"

"He was a prefect." He made his coffee on the simple system. One
had a brown pot, into which the boiling stuff was poured. Just
before serving one put in a drop of cold water, and the idea was
that the grounds fell to the bottom.

"Wasn't he a kind of athletic marvel? Couldn't he knock any boy
or master down?"

"Yes."

"If he had wanted to," said Mr. Pembroke, who had not spoken for
some time.

"If he had wanted to," echoed Rickie. "I do hope, Agnes, you'll
be most awfully happy. I don't know anything about the army, but
I should think it must be most awfully interesting."

Mr. Pembroke laughed faintly.

"Yes, Rickie. The army is a most interesting profession,--the
profession of Wellington and Marlborough and Lord Roberts; a most
interesting profession, as you observe. A profession that may