fellow workers in the bank he regarded as companions in misfortune.
They were all in the same boat together. There were men from Tonbridge,
Dulwich, Bedford, St Paul's, and a dozen other schools. One or two of
them he knew by repute from the pages of Wisden. Bannister, his
cheerful predecessor in the Postage Department, was the Bannister, he
recollected now, who had played for Geddington against Wrykyn in his
second year in the Wrykyn team. Munroe, the big man in the Fixed
Deposits, he remembered as leader of the Ripton pack. Every day brought
fresh discoveries of this sort, and each made Mike more reconciled to
his lot. They were a pleasant set of fellows in the New Asiatic Bank,
and but for the dreary outlook which the future held--for Mike, unlike
most of his follow workers, was not attracted by the idea of a life in
the East--he would have been very fairly content.

The hostility of Mr Bickersdyke was a slight drawback. Psmith had
developed a habit of taking Mike with him to the club of an evening;
and this did not do anything towards wiping out of the manager's mind
the recollection of his former passage of arms with the Old Wrykinian.
The glass remaining Set Fair as far as Mr Rossiter's approval was
concerned, Mike was enabled to keep off the managerial carpet to a
great extent; but twice, when he posted letters without going through
the preliminary formality of stamping them, Mr Bickersdyke had
opportunities of which he availed himself. But for these incidents life
was fairly enjoyable. Owing to Psmith's benevolent efforts, the Postage
Department became quite a happy family, and ex-occupants of the postage
desk, Bannister especially, were amazed at the change that had come
over Mr Rossiter. He no longer darted from his lair like a pouncing
panther. To report his subordinates to the manager seemed now to be a
lost art with him. The sight of Psmith and Mr Rossiter proceeding high
and disposedly to a mutual lunch became quite common, and ceased to