Mr. Brand, whose views upon the subject of the idle rich were of a decided nature, looked up from a contest with a refractory nut, and regarded Timothy severely. Then, returning to his task, and having exposed the internal secrets of the engine, he plunged into an elaborate lecture, in his most oppressive and industrious-apprentice manner, upon big-ends and timing-gears. Philip did not interrupt. Mr. Brand was fond of the sound of his own voice, and was obviously enjoying his present unique opportunity of laying down the law to a wealthy and ignorant member of the despised upper classes. He employed all the long words he could think of. Timothy positively gaped with admiration. "I say," he said, "you ought to go into Parliament." "P'raps I shall," replied the Industrious Apprentice haughtily. Evidently with the intention of resuming his interrupted discourse, he cleared his throat and took a deep breath. Then, suddenly, his mouth closed with a jerk, he turned a dusky red, and assumed an ostrich-like posture over the cylinders of the car. "There's a trunk-call coming through for you, Mr. Meldrum," said a clear voice. Philip turned round, to find Miss Jennings. "I shall be back directly, Mr. Rendle," he said to Timothy, and accompanied the typist to the office. "Brand is a great orator, Miss Jennings," he remarked, as he sat down to the telephone. Miss Jennings sniffed. "That hot-air artist?" she replied witheringly. "He's the laughing-stock of the place. Not that I know him. We on the office-staff keep ourselves to ourselves. We don't--" At this moment the trunk-call came through, and the conversation terminated. When Philip returned to the show-room, Mr. Brand had completed his task and departed to his own place. "Our chatty friend," announced Timothy, "has put me up to most of the tips. I shall be a prize chauffeur in no time." He surveyed the gleaming car admiringly. "She's a beauty. What should I be able to knock out of her? Sixty?" "Quite that." "Wow-_wow_!" observed Mr. Rendle contentedly. "I don't mind laying a thousand to thirty that I get my licence endorsed inside three weeks." Philip, who regarded new machinery much as a young mother regards a new baby, turned appealingly to the cheerful young savage beside him. "Don't push her too much at first," he said. "Give the bearings a chance for a hundred miles or two. And--I wouldn't go road-hogging if I were you." Timothy turned to him in simple wonder. "But what on earth is the use of my getting a forty-horse-power car," he enquired almost pathetically, "if I can't let her rip?" "There are too many towns and villages round London to give you much of a chance," said Philip tactfully. "You will be able to find some good open stretches, though, if you get right out west or north," he added, as Timothy's face continued to express disappointment. "Or, I'll tell you what. Take the car to Brooklands, and see what she can do in the level hour."