"Oh, Mr. Aylmer! Is that you?"
"It is; and I have come to talk to you. Shall I go down with you to your kitchen, or will you come out for a walk?"
"Whichever you like, sir. If you're not tired, it is pleasanter out than in my kitchen."
"Very good; follow me up to the station. I have a message to leave there."
Roger hastened to finish his work; and having made himself very neat and scrubbed his face and hands until they were crimson, he took his cap and set out for the station. Very soon he and Mr. Aylmer were going along a country road at a great pace.
"There's a wood out here," said Mr. Aylmer, "where I expect to get some primroses. Roger, I think you used to play cricket down in Devonshire?"
"Oh, yes, sir; you see, I had so little to do."
"Well, I'm going to set up a cricket club here, and I count on you as one of my best members. There'll be a yearly subscription, but it will be small. Mr. Dunlop has given us the use of a very nice field. It is easier to find a good flat field here than at home, Roger."
"Well, yes, sir. But don't count on me, Mr. Aylmer, I couldn't spare the time."
"Roger, when I urged you last week to join my English History class, you said the same thing."