Murray and Foster had been getting on splendidly together, but directly
Ward came they hardly said a word. Possibly they did not get much
chance, but any one could see that Foster had taken a dislike to Ward
at sight.
Murray went away very soon and left the three of us together.
"I've been over to Woodstock in a dog-cart with Bunny Langham and Bob
Fraser," Ward said. "By Jove, that cob of Bunny's can move. We got
back in five-and-twenty minutes."
As I didn't know how far it was to Woodstock and didn't care, I said
nothing, so Ward went on, "Bunny's a rare good sort; you ought to meet
him."
"What college is he at?" I asked.
"At the House--Christchurch, you know." I did know, and thought the
explanation cheek. "I have hired a gee from Carter's to-morrow, and am
going to drive over to Abingdon with Bunny, will you come?"
"To-morrow's Sunday," I said.
"Yes, there is nothing else to do. The better the day the----" But I
interrupted him.
"Don't talk rot, I hate those things. Are you going in a dog-cart?" I
asked.
"Yes, it is Bunny's cart."
"I am jolly well not going to sit on the back seat of a dog-cart if I
can help it; I would rather go about in a perambulator," I said.
"You are so confoundedly particular," he went on with a great guffaw of
laughter, "but since it is Bunny's cart and I am going to drive I don't
see how we can offer you any other seat."
"Who the blazes is Bunny?" I asked, for his name was beginning to get
on my nerves, and Fred Foster sitting as dumb as a mute was enough to
upset any one.
"I know him at home, his father is the Marquis of Tillford and his real
name is Lord Augustus Langham, only his teeth stick out and every one
calls him Bunny," Ward answered.
"Heaps of money?" I said.
"Plenty, I should think."
"Then he is no use to me, though he may be the best fellow in the
world," I declared.
"You are a rum 'un, why he is just the sort of man who is some use."
"That depends," Foster said suddenly.
"Yes, it depends," I repeated, though I didn't know exactly what
depended.
"What depends?" Ward asked Foster.
"Well, if a man hasn't got much money it is no use knowing a lot of men
who have got no end."
"It never struck me that way. Perhaps you are right," and then turning
to me, he added, "Come to breakfast anyhow to-morrow morning, Bunny
won't be there then."
I promised to go, and then he left us. I walked back to Oriel with
Foster and he had got a lot to say about Jack Ward. "Where in the
world did you find that man?" was his first remark after we were alone.
"He found me," I said.
"I should lose him as soon as possible," Fred went on.
"I don't think that would be very easy," I answered, "and I don't
believe he is a bad sort really."
"I'll bet he never came back from Woodstock in five-and-twenty
minutes," Foster said.
CHAPTER III
THE RESULT OF THE FRESHERS' MATCH
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account