The Prelude to Adventure

well, into the noisiest life that he could manage to find about him. The more noise the better; he had only a cold fear at his he

s of Carfax at all; there was waiting for him, lurking, beast-

here was a lurking ferocity that must be checked by an indulgent heartiness of manner, as one might offer a nut to a monkey. His invariable manner of salutation-"Come along, Simter-the very man I wanted to see"-lost its attraction through much repetition, and the hearty assumption on the amiable gentleman's part that "we are all boys together" froze many undergraduates in

h groups in which a younger and even thinner Mr. Gregg was displayed, a curious figure in "shorts." On one side of the room two oars were hung and over the mantelpiece (littered with pipes) there were photographs of the "Mona

g since you've honoured our humble gathering. Baccy? That's right. Help yourself. Erdington's goi

in spectac

e? Got all you want? That's right. Now we can beg

-closed eyes in a large armchair. His broad back looked as though it would burst the wooden arms, and his plain, good-natured face beamed, through a cloud of smoke, upon the company. Below his short, light grey flannel trousers were bright purple socks. He had the body of a bullock-short

ort thick legs attracted Olva; there was something simple and primeval here that appealed to the Dune blood. Moreover, since the afternoon when Olva had played against the Harlequins and covered himself with glory, Lawrence had shown a disposition to make friends. Old Lawrence might be stupid, but, as a background, he was the m

is brain down to the actual, definite connection. It seemed ultimately to hang round that dreadful evening when they had been together; it was almost--although this was absurd-as though Bunning knew; but, in spite of the certain assurance of his ignorance Olva felt as he moved uneasily under Bunning's gaze that the man himself was making some claim upon him. It was evident that Bunning was unhappy; he looked as though he had not slept; his face was white and puffy, his eyes dark and heavy. He was paying no attention to the "Huns," but was trying, obviously, to catch

es. Behind him still he felt that pursuing cloud; one day it wou

inctive-that, almost unconsciously, he should, at a point like this, pull at his nerves. "They are

"It has always occurred to me that the Huns . . . " and then, after

discussion, therefore, quickly flagged. Olva escaped Bunning's pleading eyes, found his gown amongst a heap in the corner, and avoiding Mr.

my room after all that muck?" Above him, in the dar

delighted,

s though words were a difficulty to him. He lef

a piffler like that kid in the glasses to read hi

tly in the moonlight-stars burnt,

ame that o' yours yesterday. Rippin'." He seemed to l

rsued his s

sted archangel. Lucky devil!" He sighed heavily. "Every time I put on my footer boots," he pursued, "I say to myself, 'What you'd be

came rattling; laughing and shouting, dow

nd upon them. Cardillac was there, also Bobby

true, as they say, that you've been sitting at the f

uns, and therefore there's compellin' necessity for a dr

Bunning a visit in another ten minutes. He's going to have a whole

d, during his first term, been of the pious persuasion a

pted Lawrence. He move

then he turned to Olva

shortly. "Bunning's be

ng the matter

"Well, Dune, I daresay we ca

Well, I don't know. P'r

n't think I'm havin'

nsense, Lawrence, come along.

ou wouldn't like it yourself if you had a dozen fellows tumbling

'm off anyhow. Work for me."

. Go and play your old bridge or something

and Olva