Professor Herrick turned his head.
"Come in, Richard," he said; "come in, by all means." And Amory entered and advanced toward them.
The slight depression of manner Tredennis had fancied he had seen in him on the last two occasions of their meeting had disappeared altogether. He seemed even in gayer spirits than usual.
"I have come to tell you," he said to the professor, "that I am going away for a short time. It is a matter of business connected with the Westoria lands. I may be away a week or two."
"Isn't it rather a long journey?" asked the professor.
"Oh, yes," he replied, with no air of being daunted by the prospect,—"and a tiresome one, but it is important that I should make it, and I shall not be alone."
"Who is to be your companion?"
"Planefield—and he's rather an entertaining fellow, in his way—Planefield. Oh, it won't be so bad, on the whole."
"It is Planefield who is interested in the lands, if I remember rightly," suggested the professor.