“I congratulate you, Marryatt,” said Carmichael. “At the funeral the other day, I am afraid I found myself chiefly thinking about the unpleasantness of the kneeling accommodation, instead of the virtues of the deceased. By the way, have you declared a truce in the controversy with Brotherhood, now that he is no longer capable of replying?” “I am afraid I continued the course this evening. I could not very well leave it where I had left off last Sunday. I had to meet, you see, his views about immortality.” Carmichael chuckled. “Well, let’s hope Brotherhood won’t walk,” he said. “It would be very embarrassing for you, Marryatt, if Brotherhood’s ghost came back to continue the discussion. It would speak with so much expert knowledge.” “Really, Carmichael,” said Marryatt, “I wish you wouldn’t say those things. You told us yourself that you don’t believe in spiritualistic phenomena.” “It’s all right,” said Gordon, “you’ll be able to exorcise him if he does turn up again. Try driving a stake through his body, I’m told it’s effective. Hullo!” he added, consulting his watch, “I’d no idea it was so late. I promised I’d go and help Murdoch fix up his wireless. So long——” and he disappeared, giving a slight tug at Reeves’ coat as he left. He did not seem, however, to be in a hurry to redeem his promise. Instead, he made straight for Marryatt’s room, taking the stairs three at a time; and his proceedings in Marryatt’s room were sufficiently curious to be worth recording in detail. First, he took two out of the three pipes which lay there, and hid them carefully behind the coal-scuttle. Then he pulled the remaining pipe in half; picked a strand or two of tobacco out of the nearest tin, and rammed these tightly down the stem of the pipe, close to the mouthpiece. There were a couple of feathers on the mantelpiece; these he unscrupulously put in his pocket. And, “Now, my friend,” he said to himself out loud, as he left the room, “I think we’ve spiked your guns. I for one shall be surprised if you don’t come along hunting for pipe-cleaners.” And so he went down and rejoined Reeves in the deserted billiard-room.