“I’ll be glad to have you,” said Tom, who had taken a sudden liking to Jack. “That is, if you’d really like to come. You might look at the room.”
“Say no more! Come? Of course I’ll come! Will a duck swim? But I say, you know, you don’t know much about me.”
“I’ll take a chance—if you will,” said Tom, laughing.
“All right. Then we’ll call it square. Lead on and I’ll follow. To think that, after all, I’m going to get in Opus Manor! It’s great, Fairfield!”
“Call me Tom, if you like.”
“I like. I’m Jack to you, from now on. Shake!” and he caught Tom’s hand in a firm clasp. The two looked into each other’s eyes, and what they read satisfied them. They were chums from then on.
“I’ll take you to my room—our room,” Tom corrected himself. “It’s a fine one!”
“I’m sure it must be. But do you reckon the Lord and Lady of this castle will allow me to share it with you?”
“Yes. In fact Mrs. Blackford spoke of me getting some one in with me. So that will be all right.”