The artfulness of Steggles properly begins here. He knew several things we didn’t. He knew, for instance, that M. was coming to the football match, that she was going to ride her bicycle over on the road by which we walked, that only the day before he had quarrelled with her, and that his position with regard to her was at that hour most risky. All these things Steggles well knew, and we didn’t. So he lighted his pipe with an air of long practice. The smell was fine, and he smacked his lips now and then. “Nice pouch?” he said, handing me a velveteen pouch with his initials on it in green silk. “I’ll bet a girl did that,” said Mathers. “It’s a secret,” said Steggles, smiling to himself. Then he asked very civily if we would care to join him, explaining that he generally kept a few spare pipes about him for friends. “I would if it wasn’t for the match,” said Mathers. “So would I,” I said. “Well, my baccy might turn you fellows up. Perhaps you are wise,” declared Steggles, puffing away. Then he tried Nubby with a little cherry-wood pipe, and Nubbs thought a whiff or two wouldn’t hurt him and began rather nervously, but gathered courage as he went on. “I heard my father say once that life without tobacco would be hell,” said Steggles; “and I agree with him.” “So do I; it’s very soothing,” said Nubby. Then Mathers burst out. He had been sulking ever since Steggles hinted that the contents of his velveteen pouch were too strong for us. “If you think I funk your tobacco you’re wrong,” Mathers said. “I’ve smoked three parts of a cigar before to-day.” “A chocolate one, perhaps?” said Steggles, but in such a humble, inquiring voice that Mathers couldn’t hit him. “No, a tobacco one; and if you’ve got another pipe I’ll show you.” “So will I,” I chimed in. Mathers’s lead was always good enough for me. Steggles immediately lugged out two more pipes. He seemed to be stuffed with them. “Get it well alight at the start,” he explained, handing a fusee. “All right, all right, I know,” said Mathers. Soon we were at it like four chimneys, and Steggles praised us in such a way that we could take no offence. “You’ve all smoked many a time and oft, I can see that,” he said. Mathers spat about a good deal, and fancied tobacco was probably a fine steadier for the nerves before a football match; and Nubbs said he thought so too; and he also thought that after a little smoking one didn’t want to talk, but ought just to keep quiet and think of interesting things. “It widens the mind,” said Steggles. We tramped on rather silently for ten minutes till Nubbs spoke again. To our surprise his hopeful tone had changed, and we found he had turned a sort of putty-color, with blue lips. He said: “I’ll overtake you fellows. I think I’ve got--I’ve got a bit of a sunstroke or something. It’ll pass off, no doubt.” “Better not smoke any more,” said Steggles.