Rentoul looked up from his corner.

“Whot you talking about?” he asked. “Time always stands still... We move—Time don’t move. If you come back in a thousand years, Time will still be ’ere, I tell you... I read it in them magazines.”

“Did you see Van Bleit when you were there?” someone asked, ignoring the dissertation on Time.

“I did. I lunched with him the day I left. He is by way of being a—chum of mine.”

Rentoul made a clumsy effort to get upon his feet.

“Then I’m goin’ to ’it you,” he said. “I can’t get at ’im, but I’ll bash your mug in, see if I don’t.”

“Oh! sit down, and don’t be a silly ass,” Lawless returned irritably.

Tom Hayhurst pulled the quarrelsome member back into his place.

“Go easy, Mat; he’s baas here,” he said.

Rentoul scowled darkly.