"Well, you can look after me now if you want to, because I'm going."

And Thomas dissolved the meeting by walking off in the direction of
the junior block.

"That kid," said Spencer to his immortal soul, "wants his head
smacked, badly."

At lunch Phipps had questions to ask.

"Saw you talking to Shearne in the interval," he said. "What were you
talking about?"

"Oh, nothing in particular."

"What did you think of him?"

"Little idiot."

"Ask him to tea this afternoon?"

"No."

"You must. Dash it all, you must do something for him. You've had ten
bob out of his people."

Spencer made no reply.

Going to the school shop that afternoon, he found Thomas seated there
with Phipps, behind a pot of tea. As a rule, he and Phipps tea'd