'Where are you?' 'Is that your car?' 'It belongs to a friend of mine.' 'I didn't know you meant to bring a party.' 'There's only three of us. Me, the chauffeur, and my friend--MacGinnis.' The possibility, indeed the probability, of Sam seeking out Buck and forming an alliance had occurred to me, and I was prepared for it. I shifted my grip on the automatic pistol in my hand. 'Mr Fisher.' 'Hello!' 'Ask your friend MacGinnis to be good enough to step into the light of that lamp and drop his gun.' There was a muttered conversation. I heard Buck's voice rumbling like a train going under a bridge. The request did not appear to find favour with him. Then came an interlude of soothing speech from Mr Fisher. I could not distinguish the words, but I gathered that he was pointing out to him that, on this occasion only, the visit being for the purposes of parley and not of attack, pistols might be looked on as non-essentials. Whatever his arguments, they were successful, for, finally, humped as to the back and muttering, Buck moved into the light. 'Good evening, Mr MacGinnis,' I said. 'I'm glad to see your leg is all right again. I won't detain you a moment. Just feel in your pockets and shed a few of your guns, and then you can come in out of the rain. To prevent any misunderstanding, I may say I have a gun of my own. It is trained on you now.' 'I ain't got no gun.' 'Come along. This is no time for airy persiflage. Out with them.' A moment's hesitation, and a small black pistol fell to the ground. 'No more?' 'Think I'm a regiment?' 'I don't know what you are. Well, I'll take your word for it. You will come in one by one, with your hands up.' I went down and opened the door, holding my pistol in readiness against the unexpected. II Sam came first. His raised hands gave him a vaguely pontifical air (Bishop Blessing Pilgrims), and the kindly smile he wore heightened the illusion. Mr MacGinnis, who followed, suggested no such idea. He was muttering moodily to himself, and he eyed me askance. I showed them into the classroom and switched on the light. The air was full of many odours. Disuse seems to bring out the inky-chalky, appley-deal-boardy bouquet of a classroom as the night brings out the scent of flowers. During the term I had never known this classroom smell so exactly like a classroom. I made use of my free hand to secure and light a cigarette. Sam rose to a point of order. 'Young man,' he said. I should like to remind you that we are here, as it were, under a flag of truce. To pull a gun on us and keep us holding our hands up this way is raw work. I feel sure I speak for my friend Mr MacGinnis.'