“I promised I wouldn’t say, that’s all. There’s a reason.”

“Precisely,” answered Coles. “And I’m the only one that knows.” He made an expressive gesture. “You see what I mean?”

“I suppose you mean you’ll tell.”

“I mean that that would be less trouble than hitting you on the head with a book and considerably more effective.”

Bobbie’s face was expressionless.

“That threat,” said Coles frankly, “starts from to-day. Now we understand one another.” He looked at the boy fixedly. “You can go,” said he. “You come in and see me to-morrow in the luncheon hour.”


“Well,” said Henry, when Bobbie bumped into him standing proudly round a corner of the corridor, “what did he say?”

Bobbie shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothing much. I’ve got to go and see him again to-morrow.”