'If it occurs again, I shall report the matter to Mr Bickersdyke.'

'And rightly so,' said Psmith, earnestly. 'Quite rightly so.
Discipline, discipline. That is the cry. There must be no shirking of
painful duties. Sentiment must play no part in business. Rossiter, the
man, may sympathise, but Rossiter, the Departmental head, must be
adamant.'

Mr Rossiter pondered over this for a moment, then went off on a
side-issue.

'What is the meaning of this foolery?' he asked, pointing to Psmith's
gloves and hat. 'Suppose Mr Bickersdyke had come round and seen them,
what should I have said?'

'You would have given him a message of cheer. You would have said, "All
is well. Psmith has not left us. He will come back. And Comrade
Bickersdyke, relieved, would have--"'

'You do not seem very busy, Mr Smith.'

Both Psmith and Mr Rossiter were startled.

Mr Rossiter jumped as if somebody had run a gimlet into him, and even
Psmith started slightly. They had not heard Mr Bickersdyke approaching.
Mike, who had been stolidly entering addresses in his ledger during the
latter part of the conversation, was also taken by surprise.

Psmith was the first to recover. Mr Rossiter was still too confused for